Unbowed and Unbroken
by TwilightWorshipper14
Summary: She was brought by mistake. But then again, who goes around saying they 'believe' in front of windows anyway? With a false name and a false identity, Piper (or Pierce) blends in with the Lost Boys. Until someone familiar is captured and brought to Neverland. With her friend on Death's Row, Piper has no choice but to save her. This requires her cover be blown. Uh oh...Dark!PeterPan
1. Chapter One: The Shadow

She was brought by mistake. But then again, who goes around saying they 'believe' in front of windows anyway? With a false name and a false identity, Piper (or Pierce) blends in with the Lost Boys. Until someone familiar is captured and brought to Neverland. With her friend on Death's Row, Piper has no choice but to save her. This requires her cover be blown. She was invisible before. Not anymore. Peter Pan never could resist a new game. The question is...who's gonna win? Piper? ...or Peter? Dark!PeterPanxOC

Rated M for language and eventual naughty stuff...because he's Peter Pan and he _always_ gets what he wants.

I own nothing except my characters.

 _ **Chapter One: The Shadow**_

* * *

"I believe!" Giggling drunkenly, Piper swayed in the large bedroom. Her two friends, Cortez and Dolly are watching with mild amusement, snickering every time Piper stumbled and had to flail her arms in order to keep her balance.

All three of them are nineteen and all three are homeless. None of them fit in this large, grand house that they broke into. They had just been released from Child Protective Services a week before. Incidentally, that was when the last of them (Piper) turned nineteen. They had all been under the care of the same case worker and since she had a bit of a soft spot for Piper, she allowed them to stay until they were nineteen instead of the more traditional eighteen.

They had tried to get jobs but that is harder than it seem in New York. Especially since the only clothes they have are worn and ratty. They used to have jobs but Dolly was fired because the deli she worked in went out of business. Cortez had worked as a bouncer for some cheap, seedy club but he was jumped by a group of bikers and fired after a broken leg, three cracked ribs, various bruises and busted up face. He is healed now but before...the boss said that if he couldn't defend himself then he couldn't keep the wrong people out of his club, then he had no use for Cortez. With those damaging words, that was the end of his job.

As for Piper...she had a nice job at a library but the place was burned down. She never told the poor lady but it had been her fault for mouthing off to a group of spoiled teens. They had said something to her and she had responded and they...had reacted badly.

Now, all three of their bad luck streaks have continued and they have been sleeping on the streets for the past couple of nights.

Dolly will be able to get another job soon. With wide blue eyes and long strawberry blonde hair, she is just as doll-like as her name suggests. She just needs some new clothes, hence the reason they have broken into this fancy place. They all need new clothes. Cortez is tall and his lean muscles are the main reason they haven't been jumped on and raped. His dark eyes can turn colder than a glacier when someone looks at either Dolly or Piper the wrong way. His thick, dark hair is spiked out and the ends are dyed just as dark a blue as his midnight eyes.

Piper is thin, to the point of almost starved and has cropped short dark brown hair. Her eyes are a dark, soulful brown so deep that it borders on black. She has often complained about how she looks like a boy with her baggy clothing and short hair. When her hair was longer, it had beautiful glossy curls but when she tried to save a few books from the fire, it was singed so badly that it all had to be cut off.

She has boobs, she has often tried to convince herself. They just aren't particularly big. And she definitely has hips, when she has put on weight that is. Right now, she is stick thin and not in a model-attractive way either. Her cheekbones are prominent but right now, almost _too_ prominent and she looks half wild with her gleaming copper skin and tall, slender build.

"What do you believe in?" Cortez calls, sipping from the other stolen bottle of whisky. Piper flings her arms out dramatically in front of the closed, arched window.

"I believe-" Something glittery catches her dark eyes and she cuts herself off, stumbling over to the dresser and picking up the shiny, silver dagger. The handle has intricate flames licking from the burnished silver handle with tiny fluttering butterflies hidden, perched on the flames.

 _Pretty..._ A sober part of her coos. Piper has always been a fan of shiny silver things and butterflies used to hold her attention captive when she was younger. She loved the way they were so weightless and delicate, flitting from flower to flower without a care in the world.

"Piper? What's up?" Cortez asks, his voice husky from lack of recent sleep but the brunette isn't listening to him. She has the sudden urge to pocket the dagger. It isn't very long, about the size of the length of her hand and wrist put together. While the blade is sharp, there is a dark sheathe for it. Piper is no stranger to stealing, it used to be all she could do when she was younger and alone. Her mother had died when she was seven and her father is someone she only knows from her mother's stories.

She has a small, burnished silver locket hanging on a delicate silver chain tucked under her shirt. It holds a picture of her and her mother and on the other side is the picture of her father. Piper has never really looked at him though, choosing to devote all of her attention to the parent that actually loved and raised her.

On impulse that isn't entirely from the alcohol, Piper slides the sheathe on and hides the dagger in the folds of her too-large black cargo pants and baggy black long sleeved shirt. The moment the blade is out of her sight, Piper feels the giddy return of the drink in her veins and she flashes a wide, charming grin as she whirls around, flinging her arms out as she resumes her drunken singing of "Believe".

"Man, I need another drink." Dolly says, groaning and climbing to her feet. Cortez hesitates, glancing between the two girls. He feels just as responsible for them as the day the group of them met when they were eleven. Does he go with Dolly to get more drinks or stay with Piper, who is still singing bawdily as she whirls around? "We can hear if anything happens to her." Dolly correctly guesses his dilemma and Cortez nods, following after the short strawberry blonde, glancing back one last time at his friend.

"We are getting more drinks, shout if you need us, Piper." Cortez calls and she pauses, turning to him. Her slender frame looks almost boyish in the silver moonlight but those high cheekbones and gleaming dark eyes are so otherworldly in that moment that he pauses, captivated. Then a gleaming grin flashes across her face as she tosses her head, used to the weight of her glossy copper curls swinging around behind her.

Then she resumes twirling around.

Cortez and Dolly leave without a second look back, that final image locked in their heads.

Giggling at nothing in particular, Piper spins and twirls her way around the room, stopping in front of the window one more time. She thought she saw something. Peering closer, Piper shrugs when she sees nothing and turns, caught in a twirl.

A sudden blast of wind blows the windows open with a bang and she jumps, whirling around, a startled look in her dark eyes. Then the melting shadows move and a scream locks in Piper's throat as terror sweeps through her. The shadow is shaped like a man, with a velvety or rubbery look to him. Eerie, glowing, poison green eyes lock on Piper and though it doesn't have a face, she gets an overwhelming feeling of malicious glee washing off the shadow.

"Piper! What happened?!" Piper can faintly hear Cortez shout demandingly up the stairs but her voice is locked in her throat. Turning, she tries to run but the shadow clasps a hand on her ankle and the scream is released from her body, full of terror and pain. The shadow's touch is icy cold and Piper's leg goes numb almost instantly. Clawing desperately at the wood floors, her ragged nails do little to help her gain purchase.

"Piper!" Thundering feet draw closer as Piper desperately reaches out for something, anything but the shadow gives one good yank just as she feels something soft. Her hands close reflexively on it as she is yanked harshly away.

"Cortez!" Piper screams out, clawing at the air. She feels bruised and almost as though her arms were yanked out of their sockets. "Cortez!" Piper screams again as she is pulled closer to the window. Grasping at the window frame, Piper tries desperately to hold on but the glacier feeling is spreading through her body. Strength is being sapped out of her by the burning cold and relief washes through her when Cortez appears in the doorway with a suddenly fierce looking Dolly right behind him.

"Piper!" He shouts and lunges forward. Piper relaxes almost instantly, knowing soul-deep that Cortez would never let anything happen to her. That was her biggest mistake.

Using her lax body as encouragement, the shadow gave a sudden, sharp pull and Piper screams again as she is yanked out of the doorway and held over the ground. She has no fear of heights but even the sanest person would be terrified of being dropped at such a height. The house is four stories high and they were on the third floor.

"Cortez!" Piper screams loudly, fear spiraling through her and causing her to tremble from the shadow's one handed grasp. Reaching out to her best friend, Piper can't hold back the burning tears anymore.

"Piper!" Cortez shouts desperately, half-hanging out the window as he cries her name. "Piper!" Their eyes stay locked together as the shadow speeds farther away until she can no longer see him. Defeat rings through her, so sharply that Piper is reminded of the time before she met her two best friends. She had been so close to giving up on life that when she had been found, Piper was half feral.

Then, familiar, deadly, burning anger sweeps through her so strongly that Piper snarls, tucking the soft item in her shirt and reaching up, clawing at the shadow's hand. It doesn't really register with her that falling from this height would surely kill her. Piper screams at the shadow, enraged dark eyes blazing as she struggles to reach up. Being dangled upside down as you float at a fast pace into the sky isn't the best place for fighting though.

The coldness continues to spread through her and Piper's teeth chatter as she shivers.

"Who the fuck are you?" Piper snaps out but the angry edge is faint as she struggles to stay bent up so she can face the creepy shadow-man. "What do you want with me?" Piper asks, clenching her jaw with wild anger. The shadow looks away from her as they drift higher into the air. Piper glances around, burning exhaustion tugging harshly at her but she struggles to hold it at bay. She needs to _fight,_ dammit, not admire how _pretty_ the clouds look this close.

A deep shudder racks Piper's body as the cold swallows her limbs and reaches farther up to her heart. Piper starts struggling again, screaming wordlessly until her voice breaks and her throat flares with pain. Piper tries to cry out with pain but more pain flares up as she struggles to force her voice out of her throat. Helpless anger thrumming through her, Piper suddenly stiffens, her dark eyes wide with shock and soul-deep panic as the cold slowly reaches her heart...and she loses sight of everything, darkness claiming her.


	2. Chapter Two: Dazed and Confrontational

I own nothing except my characters.

 _ **Chapter Two: Dazed and Confrontational**_

* * *

 _"This one is older than we have had in years!"_

 _"Shhh! Do you want to wake him up?"_

 _"Where's Felix?"_

Stirring a little, Piper feels a little of the cold receding. Everything still feels hazy though and she absently wonders if this is a dream. She relaxes a little, comforted by the thought. Of _course_ this is a dream! Shadows don't move on their own and their touch isn't icy cold. Shadows don't make anyone feel anything except normal for having one.

Could you imagine never having a shadow?

 _"What is going on here?"_ A monotone voice asked but there was an edge of command to it. Immediately, all the whispers stopped and Piper felt slightly uneasy as the drowsiness lapped at her some more.

 _"The shadow's brought us another boy! We were on patrol when it swooped down and just dropped him here. What should we do? I think he is unconscious."_ Piper could gather from the confused boy's words that he thought she was a boy. A small ember of offended anger tried to burn but it was smothered by the continuous tug of drowsiness.

 _"Why would the shadow bring us another one?"_ A different boy piped up, sounding so much younger than the others.

 _"And why would he be so old?_ _"_ Piper felt exasperated and drowsily angry but she couldn't wake up completely. Why couldn't she wake up? She felt as though her limbs were filled with cement and no matter what she did, she couldn't fight her way free.

 _"Quiet, you two. I don't have all the answers but we know who does._ _"_ The boy with the dead voice said. A low whisper swept through all the boys and Piper felt drowsily confused. What were they saying? It was a whisper, creeping through her body until it rang in her ears.

 _"Pan will know. Peter Pan always knows. Peter Pan..._ _"_ Piper should have felt scared but all she felt was confused. Peter Pan? The little boy dressed in green tights with a mop of red hair that harassed pirates with all the wit and cleverness of a Ravenclaw? He wasn't real. But then again, neither were shadows that moved on their own.

 _"Look! The shadow's back!"_

 _"What's he doing?"_

Almost as though it knew she were awake and wanted to torture her even more, the icy cold touch landed on Piper's ankle and dread roiled through her. If she were fully awake, she would have burst into a spitting, hissing ball of anger as she clawed at it. As it was though, Piper could only feel a sick sense of dread as the ice crept through her veins and knocked her out again.

* * *

 _"Oy! Wake up!"_ A poking and prodding made Piper groan, a small jolt of pain going through her. What was she being poked with? It felt like a stick...It better not be a stick. _"C'mon! You can't still be sleeping!"_ The voice sounded exasperated but Piper didn't really care.

She wasn't icy cold anymore and she wanted to enjoy it. That icy cold feeling had scared her and she wasn't used to feeling that way. Piper had felt that way after her mother died and she was alone on the streets when she was only seven years old. It wasn't until she was so tired of feeling helpless that Piper began to nurture that burning rage that always lurked behind her happy little mask. Piper has a dark side and she isn't ashamed of it but she doesn't do everything to broadcast it either. She knows the value in being seemingly helpless and weak.

 _"Get up!...You are going to piss Pan off. His shadow wasn't supposed to bring any big boys here. I wonder why he brought you?"_ Piper stiffened when she sensed the boy leaning closer. She didn't like to be touched. Not casually anyway. Not if it couldn't benefit her. The boy leaned closer, the leaves he was sitting on crinkling as he shifted. Piper's blazing dark eyes snapped open as he gently brushed her face. Reacting instinctively, Piper snatched his wrist, tightening her grip cruelly as her lips twisted into a feral snarl.

She tried to speak but a low, guttural snarl is the only thing that emerged from her throat as searing pain burst through her. Abruptly, Piper remembered screaming until her throat was raw and sore and then screaming some more. She must have damaged her vocal cords. It seemed to be working to her advantage though.

The boy's wide, brown eyes were blown open with panicked fear swirling in the depths. A strangled shout emerged from his throat as Piper deliberately bared her teeth, tightening her grip on his wrist. The delicate bones in his wrist ground against each other and a high shriek burst out of him. He seemed younger than her, she absently noticed. Maybe around sixteen years old.

"Let the boy go." The dead voice from before ordered and Piper slowly turned her head, the dark dirt caked on her face so that only her blazing dark eyes showed. This boy's face was shaded by a hooded...cloak? All the sight did was give Piper pause for a moment before she deliberately tightened her grip. The boy dropped his wooden spear, scrabbling frantically at her hand, a high, pained yelp bursting out of his throat as she dug her nails into the tender space between the veins in his wrist. Blood welled up, warmly coating the tips of her fingers as the boy cried out again. "Let him go or one of these arrows is going in you." The boy ordered, a hard edge creeping into his emotionless voice.

Piper tried to clear her throat but a wince of pain washed over her before she hid it again.

"Please." The boy whimpered and Piper narrowed her dark eyes, shooting him a contemptuous look before abruptly shoving him back as she released him. The boy fell and scrambled away, clutching his wrist to his chest.

"Smart choice. Now get up." The hooded boy ordered, his pale hand tightening on a wicked looking...club? How...Neanderthal-ish. Moving warily, she slowly rose to her feet, keeping tabs of the other boys surrounding her. She could spot a few in the trees with wicked looking arrows pointed at her, a few boys hidden in the bushes with more arrows and then the obvious ones with pointy sticks. Feeling something sticking out of her chest, she frowned when she saw the lump. Watching the boys out of her peripheral vision, she pulled out...Cortez's large black knit sweater.

It only took her a second to go through the facts.

 _I am the only girl. I am surrounded by males. They are all of or around the age where they hit puberty. They think I am a boy. I do not want to get raped._

She quickly slips the sweater on, feeling the cold press of the dagger she had stolen against her belly. The ties on the sheathe had gotten tangled on the ties inside her pants to keep them on her thin waist. Not wanting to give the advantage of her hidden weapon away, she gives no sign of it, shooting Mr. Neanderthal a dark look.

He shifts and his hood slips back the slightest bit, revealing thick, ropey scars on his cheek and down his chin. Startled, Piper narrows her eyes as she gets prodded in the back. Whirling around with another dangerous snarl ripping out of her throat, she glared darkly at the boy. His face pales and he flinches before drawing strength from the weapon his hands.

"M-move on now." He stutters a little before drawing confidence in Piper's lack of attacking. "Pan wants to see you." Confusion flashes across her dirt-caked face and the boy smirks superiorly and it irks her. Debating on attacking him, Piper remembers something and decides to take advantage of it. Raising her hand, Piper showed him the drying blood on her ragged fingernails and fingertips. He pales as a slow, dark grin spreads across face before she turns away dismissively, missing the helpless rage that flashes across his face at her actions. The boy with the scars doesn't move and Piper gets the impression he is scanning for her danger level. Right now, with tension running high and her guard up, Piper is feeling reckless in a way that she hasn't been since she was eleven.

She was considered half-feral for a reason.

People don't just fling words like that around for no reason. Especially caseworkers, the ones who have supposedly seen it all. Piper gave in and became her worst self. She became the dark little monster that everyone has hiding in a corner of their brain. When she became friends with Dolly and Cortez, they both made her promise that she would never revert to that behavior unless she had no other choice. It seems like this is one of those times where she has no other choice. Still, Piper pulled back on the anger a little, hiding it away and causing her face to emanate the same emotionlessness that was in the hooded boy's voice.

She was in a clearing filled with trees and bushes and the boys circling her were leading her into the woods surrounding her. It seemed like it was either sunset or sunrise here, casting eerie shadows on the towering trees. The rage disappeared from Piper and she had to hold back a shiver as it was replaced by the cold. Piper didn't see the creepy shadow anywhere but the lingering icy cold was still there at her ankle, just more contained. Limping a little, Piper cataloged her injuries.

Her body was sore and aching all over. The spot over her ribs held a deep ache and Piper wondered if she bruised or cracked a rib. A throbbing located on her jaw made Piper suspect that the shadow hadn't been very gentle when it had dropped her in with the group of boys surrounding her. Her fingernails ached from the death hold she had on the window frame when she had been screaming for...Cortez.

Oh god.

Cortez and Dolly.

Dread and fear swept over her and Piper felt hopelessly lost and confused. She hadn't been separated from the two except for the week when Cortez had almost been sent to juvie for beating the shit out of a guy for insulting Dolly and Piper in a very crude way. It terrified Piper to be apart from them. There wouldn't be Dolly to distract her from dark throughs and depression. There wouldn't be Cortez that she could lean on when she felt weak. For the first time in nine years, she was alone.

"Pan's gonna deal with him, right Felix?" The boy she had injured piped up, glaring nastily at her. Piper ignored the glare, struggling with burying her fear as far down as she could. It wasn't working though. She was still feeling scared and hopeless, like she was about to snap any second now. She really didn't want to let her friends down. Because the moment she did, she wouldn't be able to look them in the eyes ever again. She couldn't trust herself to not screw everything up and wasn't _that_ the _sadest_ thing?

"Just shut up and keep him moving." Felix hissed, marching ahead. Piper couldn't bring herself to glare. She wanted to hide. Hide from herself. Hide from the memory of her past. Hide from the realization of who she could become. Hide from it all.

The trees began to grow thinner and abruptly, they were in a clearing. There was a group of boys in one part of the round clearing, cheering each other on as they shot at each other with arrows. There was a boiling pot of something in the center over the roaring bonfire. And then Piper spotted some cleverly hidden tents in and around the clearing. This is where they lived. All these boys were young, not one of them looking to be older than Piper.

A few were limping and others had scars on their youthful faces. But there was one thing all of them had in common. Well, aside from the ratty clothes they were wearing. All of the kids...were kids. They were young and Piper had a sudden, wild thought. They were the perfect ages for being Lost Boys. But that was crazy, wasn't it? These little boys couldn't be the famous Lost Boys. For one, they were supposed to be the good guys, led by a good guy. After all, every story and myth has a center of the truth in it.

"Who's the new boy?" A tall, burly boy asked. He had the look of a bully in dark eyes and dirty blonde hair. He didn't get an answer from Felix and turned his angry gaze on Piper. She had the sudden urge to look down but smothered it as the little dark side popped up.

A slow, cruel smirk twisted on her lips as Piper crossed the clearing and she raised her head, a suddenly noble look about her as she met his gaze fearlessly. The boy faltered, clearly not expecting her to meet his gaze. Piper felt a flash of irritation and upped the ante on her deep, dark anger. She remembered the rage that burned in her as the shadow was dragging her away from her chosen family...and the boy paled. Fear and recognition flashed in his eyes and he turned away, burly shoulders tensing up as he refused to look back. Piper suddenly felt sick.

She promised them. And here she is, giving in so easily.

 _...only if you have to..._

She didn't have to.

"Wait here." Felix ordered and he sounded so monotone that Piper had the sudden urge to _make_ him show emotion. Felix didn't notice the flash of emotion though. He had crossed the clearing, up to the thickest tree that was placed at the edge of the clearing. He knocked on the the door and even though nothing about Felix changed, Piper got the feeling he was suddenly anxious. It was weird but she was going to take the warning seriously. If Felix, Mr. No-Emotion was feeling anxious, then she was going to be careful.

Piper was watching as Felix waited. And she swears that the door didn't move an inch. First Felix was waiting, standing there by himself and the next...he wasn't.

* * *

Thanks so much to my followers and favers: Rayne2018, SashaPayne56, quiet101 and bittersweet S.

Thanks so much to my first reviewer!

bittersweet - Thanks so much for saying that, I was hoping my idea was original since I have no way of knowing for complete fact. Hopefully you will continue to like the way this plays out. Thanks so much for your review!


	3. Chapter Three: Peter Pan and Pierce

I own nothing except my characters.

 _ **Chapter Three:**_ _ **Peter Pan and Pierce**_

* * *

"What?" A hard and dangerous voice hissed from the shadows. What the fuck? Who the hell...Piper was frozen.

Felix didn't move but Piper could see the urge in him to step back. She didn't blame him. It took everything in her to not start cursing and scrambling away. What that kid just did, it didn't compute well with her brain. Piper was trying to figure out how in the ever-loving world the tall, shadowed figure managed to do just _appear_ like that and the only thing that came to mind was...magic.

How is it, she has spent a lot of her life scorning people that made calf eyes at the moon, claiming magic was real and one day it would enter their lives? And now here she is, one of the _biggest_ non-believers and magic is damn near _bludgeoning_ her upside the head. Oh, Fate truly did love her wicked little ironies, didn't she?

"The shadow brought another boy." Felix reported, his monotone voice carrying an edge of respect to it. Piper half expected him to bow but he never did.

"Did he now? Well, let's have a little look, shall we?" The smooth, British voice asked, a sudden dark and playful edge to his voice. Piper glanced to the side, trying to gauge everyone's gathered reactions. There was awe, fear and respect. It glowed in all of the boy's eyes, nearly tangible with its strength. Piper had the sudden, dreadful realization she was in over her head. She was never going to drink again, not if shit like this was going to happen.

Piper looked ahead and she flinched violently, a ragged sound ripping free of her throat. Her wide, dark eyes were full of quickly hidden fear and shock as she stared at the guy suddenly standing in front of her.

He was tall.

That was the first thought that flashed through her brain. This guy, he towered over her and she wondered how that could be before realizing she was shrinking into herself. Giving herself a mental shake, Piper straightened and met him boldly in the eyes. He had pale skin and a gleaming, vicious, playful smirk on dusky pink lips and sharp white teeth. Piper's eyes trailed upward, taking in the pert nose, faint freckles and landed on his eyes. This boy, he had the greenest eyes she had ever seen. Shadows shifted in them as they glittered wickedly in the firelight, framed by long eyelashes. His eyebrows were sharp and defined and his hair was short, and an almost bronzed color; it looked windswept and soft enough that Piper felt the urge to run her hands through it...right before twisting her hands in it as he pressed her against a tree.

His body was lean and the dark green clothes hinted at muscles. His shirt was a worn, dark green vest held up by a dark brown leather belt. Underneath the green shirt, was a dark brown knit shirt that reached down to his elbows, leaving his forearms bare with the exception of thick, dark brown leather bracers that were laced up around his wrists. There were nicks and tears in the bracers but they seemed as though they would last a great deal longer. His legs were clad in dark green pants and he was wearing worn leather boots (without heels.) A dagger with a worn leather wrapped handle hung from his belt and Piper narrowed her eyes, ideas flashing through her head as she dismissed the attractiveness of this guy.

"Well now, it seems our newest Lost Boy is looking for a way out!" The boy called out mockingly, a cocky air hanging about him. He held his arms out wide, rather lot like Piper had done before the disastrous event that led to her being here...on Neverland. "Go for it." He twitched a dark eyebrow teasingly, his eyes glittering with a challenge. Piper stared at him for a moment, tensed up and tempted. Then she went for it...and landed on the ground as he simply...disappeared. "I didn't think you would go for it." The boy was behind her and Piper scrambled around as he suddenly looked dark as he prowled closer, crouching down before her, pulling his dagger out and dangling it in front of her face.

Piper clenched her jaw, narrowing dark eyes as she stared longingly at it. She doesn't need it. She has her own weapon...but he doesn't know that...and she plans on keeping it that way. Besides, any sane person that was kidnapped and brought to a new and strange land against their will would be looking for a way out. It would seem strange if she _didn't_ go for the dagger. Still though, she hesitated.

"Go ahead." He taunted, daring her to try for it a second time. Piper allowed her eyes to linger on the dagger before a sudden, purposeful look was flashed at the boy she injured and she smirked, slowly and darkly at him. The boy paled, flinching back as he reflexively closed his hand protectively around the injured wrist. Then, ever so slowly, she connected her gaze with the strange guys and relaxed from her position on the ground.

The meaning was clear.

She was dangerous enough without the dagger. She didn't need a weapon to inflict damage...so she wouldn't go for the dagger. Not this time.

"Well, we have one with a brain. What a welcome change." The guy purred, flipping the dagger in the air and sticking it back in the sheathe. "What's your name?" He asked and Piper looked at him, slowly moving so she can crouch and then stand up. The whole time, he watched her with amusement, sharp eyes catching the slightest details. Piper wrinkled her nose at him, rolling her dark eyes deliberately before cocking a slender eyebrow and looking at him pointedly. "A Lost Boy with fire! I like it." His voice lowered dangerously, sliding like velvet in her ears. "My name...Is Peter Pan." He said, with all the air of a King.

Piper felt reluctant attraction to him but hid it swiftly. No way was she going to blow her cover for an attraction to _Peter Pan_.

Oh, if Cortez and Dolly could see her now...they'd be laughing their asses off.

"Now that I've told you my name, tell me yours before I lose my...patience." Peter Pan ordered, his dusky lips quirking up into a laughing sneer. Piper felt the urge to bristle but his attitude demanded submission. She had to fight every fiber of her being to lower her eyes and duck her head down in respect. Everything in her was screaming to stand tall and to never bow to _anyone_. How _dare_ this arrogant boy demand she bow her head to him? _Respect_ has to be _earned._ And this _boy_ has not e _arned_ her r _espect_ , making it even harder for her to bow her head.

A glint in his eyes told her that he saw her struggle to show submission and the glee in his eyes made that ember _burn_ in her chest until she smothered it in the ash of her emotions.

"Your _name._ " His voice was harder and Piper forced herself to not react in any other way than tensing. She raised her hand, the blood almost glowing on her fingertips as she gently touched them to her throat. She chanced a glance up and saw the fascination in his eyes as he flicked them over to the boy she injured and the pieces joined together in his mind. "Interesting." He hummed low in his throat and Piper had a sudden fantasy flash through her mind of him humming for an entirely different reason..."Is your throat injured?" Peter Pan asked, focusing his intense green eyes on her.

Piper gave a quick, sharp nod of her head before holding frozen. Pan noded, humming again as he slide forward and reached out with one hand. Piper froze, her wary dark eyes locked on his hand as it drew closer and closer and...touched her neck. A low, strangled whimper slid out and the fear of being submissive burned through her veins. Piper had promised herself a long time ago that she would not bow to anyone and no one would ever hurt her or break her ever again. Yet here she is, at the mercy of this teenager who has such malicious glee in his eyes.

His hand closed around her throat and Piper was trembling, the shakes running through her entire body. The firelight gleamed, the light seemingly being drawn and drowned into her dark eyes. She looked feral, an animal trapped in a cage of its own making. Peter Pan looked at her with his head cocked to the side, the glee glowing in his eyes at being the master of this little game of defiance.

...and then the pain began to recede.

It didn't leave entirely, no, he wasn't good enough for that. Instead, the pain just faded only enough for her to be able to open her mouth.

"Back off." Her voice was so guttural that any feminine edge was disguised by the rough damage her voice had sustained. Pan looked at her with a challenge in his eyes but withdrew his hand, flipping the dagger up in the other and twirling it in his fingers with a cocky smirk. He was rubbing in the fact that he had a weapon- and one she wanted at that.

"A name?" He asked, almost idly as the dagger's blade flashed in the reflection of the flames. Her brain flashed through all the options. Obviously she couldn't use her own name, she would be caught out as a girl in a second. At the same time, she couldn't choose a name that she wouldn't react to. It had to be a name that was similar enough to her own that she would understand it was her when others addressed her by it.

What could she call herself?

And then she remembered.

 _What would you have called me if I wasn't a girl, mommy?_

 _A low laugh rang out as a gentle hand combed through her hair._

 _Oh, my lovely little darling. Why do you want to know that?_

 _A pleading look, made all the more angelic by the soft yellow light casting over the two lounging in the bed._

 _Very well, I never could resist your beautiful big eyes...I would have named you Pierce. It is a good name and it runs in my family. Your father's name on the other hand was J-_

 _I don't care about him. Tell me more about your family. Please, mommy?_

 _Anything for you, darling. Anything._

"My name is Pierce." Piper's voice, as horrible as it sounded (like she had a terrible sore throat...or had been screaming for hours until she wore her throat out), rang out clearly into the silent air.

"Well then, Pierce. Welcome to your new home...and welcome to the Lost Boys." Peter Pan leaned closer, pointing the dagger deceptively casually at her. "Felix will show you around, I trust you'll behave for him? No more...altercations. Understood?" His voice transformed and hardened instantly. Piper held his gaze before ducking her head down, clenching her fists behind her back in the effort to seem docile.

"Of course." She ground out, the harsh sound of her voice like rocks grinding over each other as they were crushed into a fine powder that would turn into cement. "I wouldn't dream of letting you down, _Peter Pan_." The passive-aggressive insolence was clear in her voice. As one, the boys sucked in breaths and silence rang out.

"No, you wouldn't want to. Trust me." His eyes glinted harshly in the flickering of the fire. "The results would be _far_ from _pleasant_." And then, before anything more could be said or done, he was gone. He vanished, almost as though he had never been there.

And though even his footprints were missing, Piper knew he had indeed been there.

Because her throat still tingled from the grip he'd had on it.

* * *

Thank you for following and faving my story: StopEatRead, Wildsoul TSS, and XxLostDreamerxX!

Wildsoul TSS - Thank you so much!


	4. Chapter Four: Exploration

I own nothing except my characters.

 _ **Chapter Four: Exploration**_

* * *

"Aren't you going to speak?" Felix's voice was dead, he didn't _truly_ care about the answer to his question.

Piper didn't answer him, flicking her dark gaze around the central campsite as she cataloged the many different boys and their types. There were the shy ones, huddled out of the group just the slightest bit. There were the rowdy ones, cheering and chanting around the fire. There were the physical ones, wrestling almost _too_ violently as others cheered them on. Then there were the quiet ones, shaving arrows as they watched the going-ons with wary eyes.

 _Those_ were the ones that Piper would have to watch out for.

She didn't want to be caught double crossing anyone when the time came. Because if something went wrong, she had to have a place to come back to. The first rule on the streets: never break into a place you can't escape from. If you do, that is your own death on your own hands. Well, whatever spiritual hands you have left.

"Your tent is over here. Luckily for you, the last Lost Boy that slept in here crossed Pan in the worst of ways. It will now be your tent." Felix stood beside what looked like a bush until Piper looked closer. It was hard to see the hidden tent but she could make out the fabric from under the winding vines and bushes surrounding it. Approval thrummed through her, reluctant though it may have been.

Whomever the tent belonged to before, they understood the value of living in plain sight. People see what they want to see, unless they are the clever few that see what is there whether they want to or not but merely for the sake of survival.

"Get a good night's rest, if you don't wake up in time for breakfast, you wait until lunch. No exceptions. After you eat, come and find me. I will direct you to your mentor. He will teach you what it means to be one of us. In time, you will forget about the life you left behind. We are Lost Boys. You will become one in time." With those oh-so-encouraging words, Felix left without a second look back.

"Gee, thanks for the pep talk." Piper muttered lowly, reflexively wincing as remaining pain twinged in her throat. Though Peter Pan had healed her a little, he didn't fix all of the damage, a fact that both irked and relieved her. She didn't want to be caught out so soon because of her _voice_. Man, if she did and Dolly or Cortez ever found out, her reputation would be ruined forever more- and Piper couldn't stand for that. She was, without a doubt, the fiercest out of all three of them.

Most people looked at their little trio and assumed that the most dangerous would be Cortez but he had the obvious danger and therefore, the weakest. Piper, on the other hand, was the kind of danger that you sensed, ignored because of appearances and then was torn to shreds as a result. It never ceased to please her when people overlooked her in favor of bullying up to Cortez. That left her the chance to slip behind them and rob them for everything they had on them. More than once, that is what saved their group from starving and besides, Piper never feels guilty if she can help it. Guilt always leaves her with this sour taste in her mouth and she prefers slightly spicy-sweet to sour anytime.

Crawling into the tent, Piper scanned the little tent as she moved so she was sideways to the entrance. She never left her back to a possible exit or entrance. There was a worn blanket just large enough to cover her, a reed mat to sleep on and...no pillow. All in all, it is better than some places Piper has had to sleep in, in the past. The only thing that bothers her is the fact there is only one entrance. With just one entrance, that means there is only one exit. And that doesn't sit well with Piper at all.

Slipping the stolen dagger out of her pants, Piper is once more captivated by the intricate design of butterflies perching on flames. Tracing the design delicately with a finger, Piper wondered absently whom the dagger had belonged to originally and why exactly, it had been left out like that. Shrugging to herself and shaking her head, Piper crawled to the back left corner and placed the dagger about halfway high. She half expected it to be a struggle but the razor sharp blade slid through the tent material as easily as if it were not there.

Tugging down, Piper cut a flap about the size of a large doggy door. There. Now if anything were to happen, Piper would have an escape route. Tomorrow, she will check out the space leading through the doggy door hole. She would have to make sure it was a place she could actually escape from. Then she would have to figure out how to hide the exit. She didn't want to be caught out before she even had the chance to escape.

Tucking the dagger back in the sheath, Piper tugs the shirt and sweater down to cover it. She glanced around, looking distastefully at the blanket. Gingerly picking it up, Piper sniffed at it and shrugged. Sure, there was an odor but it was nothing she couldn't handle. Pulling it over herself, Piper curled in the back corner, betting on her minimal body mass to hide the escape door for now.

Shifting restlessly, Piper closed her eyes and somehow managed to fall into a light sleep.

 _ **~Unbowed-and-Unbroken~**_

The next morning, Piper woke instantly, feeling uneasy as the faint sounds of crowing boys drifted through the tent.

Forcing herself to uncurl, Piper held back a cry of pain as her stiff and sore muscles protested violently to the movement. Her throat flared with more pain as Piper tried to keep the low whimpers locked away. Holding still, Piper panted lightly as she waited for the pain to subside a little as she listened to hear if anyone had heard of her distress. Nothing sounded different outside so Piper reached down, softly but firmly massaging her muscles.

She bit her lip in pain at the actions but forced herself to continue, knowing that it could be the difference between life and death for her. The muscles slowly loosened up and Piper glanced at the entrance to the tent before turning and looking at the backup exit. Face the unknown boys? Or explore a little?

The choice made for her, Piper folded up the blanket, placed it neatly on the mat and then opened the little flap she had created for herself.

The vines were woven thickly in front of her but swiftly and carefully unweaving them, Piper peered through. The gap was just large enough for her starved form to slip through and into a bush. Carefully climbing through, Piper paused under the bush, straining her ears to listen for any sounds. When no alarm was raised, she continued on, moving quietly through the bush and out the other side.

Creeping carefully through the area behind her tent, Piper glanced around, sharp dark eyes seeing small birds hopping on the ground, pecking at insects. The bushes, while shaped like bushes at home, had leaves that felt thick and rubbery and were the oddest color green, one so dark it was almost black. The ground was littered with the leaves, muffling her passage, a fact she was grateful for. The trees were the same as back home but were more like Weeping Willows than anything with their low-hanging branches.

When Piper reached up though, the stuff hanging down felt tough and almost rope-like.

Cutting a piece down with the dagger (she was held spellbound by glitter of the silver handle for moments before she snapped out of it), Piper twisted the vine in her hands and snapped it taut. It held easily and Piper raised a dark eyebrow with approval. Humming low in her sore throat, Piper wrapped it around her wrist and tied a knot, forming a wrist bracer. Cutting down another vine, Piper repeated it on the other wrist. The vines weren't too thick and had this odd, softness to them that belied their strength. The outer layer was a black so deep that it turned dark purple in the light.

Continuing on, Piper knew she reached the edge of the camp when two boys with spears passed by her.

Freezing instantly, Piper melted into the shadows as she trained her eyes on them. One of the boys was the one she'd injured the day before and the other was the large, bully boy that she had cowed with a look alone. From the dark glares on their faces, Piper knew she would have look keep an eye out for any potential danger from them. Waiting until they passed, Piper slipped across the cleared path silently, only relaxing once she had gone a few feet through the thick undergrowth. Circling the camp, Piper glanced in a few of the tents that ringed it. Most still had sleeping boys and the rest were empty. It didn't take a genius to figure out that the boys were in the center of the camp. With the noise alone, it was a wonder that any animals bothered to stick around.

Just as she thought that, she saw one.

A furry cat-like thing stood stock still, staring at Piper. Freezing, she stared back at it. The cat-thing had a spiky looking pelt that was inky black with dashes of silver on the belly, chest, bridge of the nose and tip of the tail. The paws and ears looked like they had also been dipped in silver. Small tuffs of black fur stuck out at the base of the cat-things ears in a way that reminded Piper of a lynx. It was the size of a small/medium dog with dainty small paws and gleaming white fangs that curved down the jaw like a saber tooth tigers. The tail was fluffy but Piper's eyes were drawn to the wide, silver eyes of it as it stared at her.

They stood frozen, staring at each other until the cat-thing flicked an ear back and then vanished into the undergrowth as though it had never been there. A little startled, Piper paused for a few moments before continuing on her way. As she circled the camp, Piper made sure to make a wide detour around the tree where the door looked as though it had grown out of the tree (which it probably had.) She didn't want to run into Peter Pan on her no doubt troublesome jaunt around the camp.

Though the day didn't change, still looking to be either around sunrise or sunset, Piper gathered it was close around morning because the noise from the camp was getting even louder and the tantalizing scent of food was drifting through the air.

Coming back to her tent, Piper crawled through the little escape door and re-wove the vines around so that they covered the outside again. Making a mental note to weave them into a little door that she only had to brush aside instead of weave each time, Piper left her tent and paused, scanning the clearing discreetly from under her lashes. There were boys covering the clearing, many more than she had seen last night and it startled her. If she had to guess, there were about thirty boys in the clearing and _more_ exhausted boys coming in from one of the paths.

"There you are." Felix walked up to Piper and she met his gaze as evenly as she could, considering his hood was still covering his face. He paused and then reached up with a hand, pulling his hood back and revealing the scars on his face. There was a thin, red looking scar going from the inside of his eye from the eyebrow and down to the middle of his cheek, with another scar intersecting it. Tracing the scar with her eyes, Piper returned her gaze to Felix's. Mr. Emotion was watching her with cold blue eyes and blonde eyebrows set in a scowl.

Shrugging, Piper met his eyes but didn't comment.

"I came to your tent and you were gone." Felix said in a monotone, forcing her to hold his gaze. Her skin began itching from the mud caked on her face and arms; hiding her copper skin but Piper refused to soothe the itch. Her short hair was ruffled by a breeze and a few dark, shorn strands fell into her eyes but again, she didn't move. Piper refused to speak with her sore throat and Felix wanted an answer. When she had deemed it long enough that she could look away without seeming guilty, Piper slid her gaze away from his, ducking her head down as she slid her hands behind her back, clenching them into fists at the _idea_ of being submissive _again_.

It really didn't fit with her nature to be submissive, she was more likely to be loud and wild but for the sake of ever being able to make it back home, Piper was going to have to force herself to as submissive and invisible as possible; something that _does_ come naturally to her after surviving on the streets. On the streets, if you were invisible, you were alive and that was the cold, harsh truth of it. It still irks her to have to revert back to that behaviour but Piper would nurture the burning rage under her mask of apathy until she saw the chance to get back home. Then, nothing would stop her from leaving.

Not even _Peter Pan._

* * *

Thanks so much to my new followers and favers!

Guest - Thank you so much!


	5. Chapter Five: His-Her first day

I own nothing except my characters.

 _ **Chapter Five: Her first day**_

* * *

"Where were you?" Felix asks and Piper stays silent. After a moment, he nods curtly, his eyebrows smoothing out into an apathetic mask. "Just remember, you will not be able to escape and if you try, that _will_ be punished by Pan. And it will not be pleasant." Felix warned and Piper's shoulders stiffened but she didn't comment.

After another moment, Felix turned and began walking away. Raising her head the slightest bit, Piper narrowed her dark eyes at him, a small spark appearing before she smothered it and followed behind him to the fire.

"Hey Felix!" A bouncing little boy called, his head of wild copper curls bouncing with him as he skidded to a stop in front of the larger male. Felix nodded, stepping around the little boy and continuing on. Unfazed, he bounced along at Felix's side. He had bronzed skin, a few shades darker than Piper's and gleaming dark green eyes that matched the mischievous look about the little boy. With his sharp little nose and faint freckles across his nose, Piper could tell he was a trouble maker. What startled her, is that he seemed to be the youngest. If she had to guess, she would say he was around eight years old, give or take a little. "So, what patrol am I going on today?" The little boy asked brightly, dropping his hand down to rest it on the dagger he had stuck through his belt.

"You know that you only guard the camp. There are no patrols for you, not until you get better at fighting." Felix answered and the little boy pouted, beginning to open his mouth to say something, never once paying attention to Piper as she shadowed them. "Don't argue, Salazar. If you have a problem with the rules, take it up with Pan or go away." The boy snapped his mouth shut, storming away and muttering something under his breath as he shot a few dirty glances over his shoulder at Felix.

A sense of amusement glittered in Piper's dark eyes but other than that, no emotion showed from her.

"Until you can be trusted, you are going to be assigned a mentor. Yours is going to be Angelo." Stopping by a boy with hazel eyes, light brown hair and pale skin, Felix nodded at him. The boy looked startled but friendly as he grinned at the two of them. "Angelo, this is Pierce. He is going to be your student. Pan wants you to teach him how to fight before he gets to leave camp. Pan gets the final decision on when he gets to be granted privileges on leaving. Remember, _Pierce's_ infractions are _your_ infractions from now on. Understood?" Felix reeled off, somehow managing to hold onto his emotionless voice through the mini-speech he gave.

"Uh, yeah! Sure, I get it." Angelo nodded and Felix nodded curtly in return before stalking away. "Uh, so I'm your mentor." Angelo waved awkwardly from his seat on the log. "You hungry?" He asks and she gazed at him emotionlessly, dark eyes scanning him over until he fidgeted, uncomfortable with the new kid's scary intense eyes. Finally breaking her stare, Piper noded once and he grinned, bouncing to his feet and gesturing to the fire. "Right, let's get you a bowl." He lead her over to the boiling pot and stepped away, returning a second later with a steaming bowl.

Piper accepted it, gazing into the bowl soulfully as she wished for something that looked a bit more appetizing than this...whatever it is. It is dark and has the substance of grits.

"You should try it, it is better than it looks." Angelo said, laughing a little as he sat on the log. Cocking her head to the side, Piper sat down, making sure to put some distance between them. From her spot on the log, her back was to three of the exit paths and she tensed up, not liking it. A muscle in her jaw flexed for a moment before she picked up the roughly carved wooden spoon, some of the food dropping from it stickily.

Tired of being a stickler about it (considering she has eaten much worse than what this looks like in the past), Piper eats the mouthful. Surprisingly, despite the look, the taste is fairly decent. It tastes like some sort of meat mixed with something a little spicy with the slightest taste of something sweet.

"See?" Angelo teased and Piper raised her head, looking him over with the same distant look as before. He fidgets a little, smiling uncomfortably and shrugging his shoulders before returning to his meal. Without his gaze on her, Piper was able to relax the tiniest bit even with the paths at her back. Wolfing down the food, she sat back, feeling a little better without her stomache clawing at her insides as it begged and roared for food. "Better?" Angelo asked, smiling a little as she sat down the bowl.

Piper gave a short nod, glancing wearily around the rest of the camp as she waited for him to finish eating. Seeing her waiting on him, Angelo ate faster and picked up her bowl, gesturing for her to follow after him. Handing off the bowls to the adorably grumpy looking Salazar, Angelo ruffled the kid's hair, smirking as Salazar ducked away from his hand, glaring darkly.

He turned the glare on Piper and she met his gaze evenly, cocking a dark eyebrow before allowing the slightest of smirks to cross her face.

There is something about him that reminds her of a little boy she once knew. That little boy had been someone she was looking out for on the streets. He had been found and taken away, never to be seen by Piper again. For a couple of years before that, he had been her protected little brother and every time she saw a mop of curly hair, she often kept an eye out for him, even if the chances of it really being him were beyond slim.

"So, since you can't be cleared to be taken out of camp yet, we are going to have to train back here." Angelo said to Piper, leading her to a path and turning to the left after a few steps. Piper tried to look around with interests but it was hard, considering she had already scanned it earlier when she was trekking around the camp. Angelo watched her curiously before walking to the center and beckoning her. "I don't know if you can tell but you are my first student assigned by Pan." Angelo said nervously as Piper watched him with her dark eyes. He shifted nervously before forcing a bright smile. "Right, so...come at me." Piper stared at his abrupt words, tensing up automatically at his expectant face and gesturing hands. "Well? Come on." Angelo said insistently and Piper scoffed, rolling her dark eyes and leaning back on her heels. As predicted, it riled him up. "Fine then, _I'll_ attack _you_." And then he rushed her.

Piper waited expectantly for him and at the last possible second, stepped to the side, twisting her body so it avoided touching his altogether. Angelo landed on the ground harshly with a muffled thump. He groaned, twisting on the ground as he struggled to climb to his feet, clutching a hand to his stomach.

"What the hell was that?!" He exclaimed angrily, glaring irritably at her. Piper shrugged innocently, a gleam to her dark eyes as she rocked back on her heels again, seemingly as relaxed as before, a hidden smirk tugging at her lips. Angelo scrambled to his feet, his light brown hair mussed up and his hazel eyes indignant as he stares at her. Then he sets his jaw, squares his shoulders and settles into a battle stance. "Fine. Again." He demanded and Piper grinned wickedly sharp as he lunged again.

 ** _~Unbowed-and-Unbroken~_**

Angelo stormed into the center of camp, glaring viciously and muttering cusses under his breath until he reached the log he was sitting on before. Piper sauntered at a slower pace behind him, seemingly as bored as an innocent could be.

Still, were Dolly or Cortez with her, both of them would instantly see the wicked gleam in her dark eyes and the smug smirk tugging at the corners of her lips. As it was, a passing by Salazar recognized the look of a fellow troublemaker, causing him to be instantly curious so he changed his track, plopping down beside an irate Angelo.

"That bad, huh?" Salazar asked cheerfully, grinning at the sour look Angelo shot him in response.

"Right." Angelo said shortly, causing a brief grin to flash across her face before it was gone. Curiosity flared in Salazar and he scooted in closer, pressing for more answers.

"Well? How was he?" Salazar asked, causing Piper to feel a sense of momentary shock at being referred to as a 'he.' It was really going to be hard to get used to that.

"He was fine." Angelo ground out and Piper had to fight hard against the urge to laugh before mentally shrugging and letting out a short bark of laughter. Startled, Angelo turned to look at her but her face was as impassive as before in a second.

"Fine? Come on, Angelo! You gotta tell me more!" Salazar pried, grinning as he saw a few other boys gathering around. "It's the new kid. We're _all_ curious." Salazar said pointedly, flicking his gaze to the side.

Following the trail, Angelo and Piper both saw Pan leaning against a tree, partially hidden in the shadows as he twirled a dagger in his fingers. Piper stiffened up, closing off completely, surprised at herself for not noticing him before now.

In marked contrast, Angelo perked up, giving Piper the impression of an eager puppy. She half expected him to sprout an enthusiastically wagging tail and his tongue to loll out of his mouth. She had to muffle a disparaging smile from spreading across her face.

"Alright, since you won't leave me alone, I suppose I must tell you what you want to know." Angelo sighed, trying to act like it was a bother. Piper rolled her dark eyes, seeing right through the act instantly. To be fair, Angelo wasn't just a terrible actor, she had seen Pan and it was apparent to her that all the Lost Boys enjoyed showing off, if only to catch Pan's attention. "The new kid is actually pretty good. We were sparring and he didn't land a hit once." Angelo said.

"How is that really good?" Salazar asked, shooting an annoyed look at another of the boys, who was nodding in agreement. "Doesn't that mean the new kid is terrible?" Piper glanced over at Pan, stiffening when she noticed his eyes locked on her. Narrowing her eyes, she dipped her head to him, her fists balled under her armpits. After a moment of watching her blankly, Pan suddenly smirked knowingly at her. Panic flashed through Piper but she knew better than to show it.

Instead, she turned her gaze to the discussion still going on, making sure to keep Pan in her peripheral vision.

"It is good because I kept rushing him and each time, he managed to evade me until I was worn out. By the end, not only was I exhausted but he hadn't had to lay a single finger on me. He looked as cool as though he were lounging around all day and just stood up to exercise his legs. It was annoying and I was pissed at the end but, I think I learned a few things from him." Angelo said, glancing at Pan.

Piper fought the urge to snort. He certainly hadn't been of that attitude after she had knocked his ass down a few times in the clearing.

Piper isn't the biggest fan of touch and so when she fights, she goes out of her way to use as little contact as possible. Essentially, she allows them to beat themselves up, just adding a guiding hand when it was needed. Something that Angelo wasn't all too fond of during the day but apparently loves now that Pan is watching and listening.

"Awesome!" Salazar lit up, glancing over at her with a contemplative look that was quickly hidden behind a mask of childish innocence. "Hey Pierce!" He called and she straightened, cocking her head to the side as she trained dark eyes on him. A little wary but still very much determined, Salazar continued speaking. "Could you teach me?" He asked, getting up and taking a step forward. Piper cocked her head to the other side, quirking an eyebrow and raising her hand, the dried blood flaking off as she rubbed her fingers together. "Oh, does that mean what will you get for it?" Salazar asked and a satisfied smile crossed her face for seconds before it disappeared. "Uh...I can teach you how to fight with a dagger?" Salazar bargained uncertainly, a few of the boys snickering as they glanced back and forth between the two. The arrogant looks sent a lick of flame through Piper and she took a swaggering step forward, danger in her smooth movements as she shot the two boys a dark glare. They shut up, the bully boy and the injured boy before stalking away.

Returning her gaze to Salazar, Piper gave a quick, sharp little nod that had the beaming boy bouncing on his heels.

"Yes!" He hissed happily, pumping his fists in the air. "I'll start tomorrow! Felix! I'm gonna need some more daggers!" Salazar darted off after the blonde, grinning enthusiastically as he began babbling. Piper smirked the slightest bit as she watched the little boy before turning her gaze to Peter Pan.

But he was no longer there.

How did he _do_ that?

* * *

Thanks so much to all of my new followers and favers!


	6. Chapter Six: An Unknown Amount of time

I own nothing except my characters.

 _ **Chapter Six: An unknown amount of time later - Part One**_

* * *

Piper stirred, instantly awake as she stared into the surrounding darkness. She didn't know what had made her wake up but it could have been anything. Piper isn't a deep sleeper, she has conditioned herself to sleep lighter because sleeping deeper could have gotten her killed and almost did a few times. Then she heard it.

A branch snapped outside of her tent and instantly Piper was crouched in her tent, head lowered and dark eyes wide as they were trained on the entrance to the tent. Piper automatically reached for her special dagger before hesitating and slipping out one of the daggers Salazar had given her. The little boy had been an avid student in the time she has been here in Neverland and they were often joined by Angelo.

The daggers had a rough wooden handle wrapped with dark brown leather and the blade was a strange sort of black rock that was as sharp as any blade back home. Slipping it out, Piper held it tightly in her left hand, her right hand poised to reach out should she need to. Another branch snapped and Piper tensed even more, making a split second decision.

She pushed aside the small flap in the tent, exiting out of her secret exit. Sliding the little mat of woven vines in front of the flap out of her way, Piper quickly fastened it in place with little cords and slipped under the bush, dark eyes open wide as she stared at her tent. Another branch was snapped and Piper slowly wiggled out from under the bush, circling around a tree and stepping into the shadows, her feet ghosting over the ground.

A tall, shadowed figure was hovering in front of her tent and Piper's teeth glinted white against her mud stained face as she silently snarled. She recognized the tall figure. In the time she has been in Neverland, Piper has kept herself dirty with mud on her face and never really bathing. This has presented a target for Andrew (the large bully boy from her first night) and Smith (the boy whose wrist she injured.) They have tried to bombard her with sneers and insults, only getting angrier when she ignored them effortlessly. Neither of them were the type to let it go though.

Anger burned through Piper as she saw a smaller figure slip forward, crawling into the tent. Waiting until the taller figure ducked down to enter the tent, Piper darted forward and silently exploded, lashing out and shoving him to the side. With a loud shout and a muffled thud, he pinwheeled his arms and toppled over. Instantly, Piper was on him, kneeling and digging her bony knee into his chest and harshly pressing the blade of her dagger into his throat.

"Help-uughghghg!" He cut himself off when he felt the cool touch of the dagger, his wide eyes panicked and enraged. Piper didn't care though, baring her gleaming white teeth, a snarl building in her throat. The animalistic gestures only served to heighten his fear and Piper felt a flash of vicious satisfaction. She had built quite the reputation amongst the Lost Boys.

With her penchant for dark looks, animalistic noises, the mud streaked on her face and as little talking as possible, Piper was widely looked at with either wary ignoring or blustering confidence. Those that ignored her, she left alone. Those that tried to 'out man' her, she took down in as few hits as possible.

Pan knew what was going on.

How couldn't he?

But as long as the Lost Boys were never killed or injured too badly, he ignored it. He didn't care about anything but the 'savages' on the island he was engaged in a battle against. Felix had taken Piper under his monotonous wing and trained her...or at least assessed her skills. It wasn't long before she was being sent out on patrols. Piper didn't do anything to make anyone wary. She talked deep, walked with a swagger and did her general best to be the boy. It wasn't easy but she managed.

It helped that after a while, the novelty of the 'new' 'boy' wore off and she faded into the background. She wasn't significant. There was absolutely nothing about her that stuck out to anyone. If it weren't for Salazar, Angelo, Felix, Andrew and Smith, Piper would be completely invisible.

The Lost Boys pay her no attention, Peter Pan hasn't given her a second look since the first day with Angelo and there was nothing Piper did to draw suspicion. She was always careful to not get caught when she slipped out at night. She never bathed or swam with the boys, preferring to slip off into the woods. She talked as little as possible. She was in the background in everyone's minds. When she spoke, they listened. When she didn't, they never cared.

"Get off of him!" Smith was staring at the two in horror, only his head and shoulders out of her tent. Piper began to rise, intending to go for him but Andrew exploded from the ground with a shout, tackling her around the waist and slamming her down. Piper's breath left her, her eyes bugged open, her mouth hung open as everything went dull. Her vision was graying and little flickers of black tempted her with unconsciousness but in a sudden rush, the air flowed into her lungs. Her ears rung, her back ached and throbbed and Andrew drew back his meaty fist.

Piper's dark eyes widened and in a burst of self-preservation, had her special knife unsheathed and buried in his side in seconds.

The dagger slid in disturbingly easy, slicing through like a knife in water. It took almost no force at all to get the dagger buried in his side and the hot spill of blood soaked out onto Piper's hand, unfreezing her. She scrambled out of Andrew's way as he fell, almost too slowly. The frantic light in his eyes was fading at a rapid pace as he clutched his side, blood spilling from his lips and dark purplish-black veins crawling down his arms and up his neck. The Dreamshade poison spread quickly, killing Andrew faster than the dagger in the side did.

During the day, she was invisible. But at night...she had grown confident in the forest, going as far as leaving for several hours at a time. Her daggers were dipped in Dreamshade and she grew adept at using them. Angelo had attempted to train her in the crossbow but she preferred the use of her daggers. To Piper, the crossbow was awkward and cumbersome. Piper would much rather use her daggers and _know_ that if she got into a fight, she _would_ come out the other end alive.

Still though, she had never wanted to do _this._

"What did you do!?" Smith shouted, staring at the boy dying on the ground. Weak spasms were running his body as he made little choking sounds, blood bubbling at his lips. Piper felt a distant sense of horror but it wasn't really making itself known. And the sad thing was, she had done this before. Piper had to kill someone else to defend Dolly and Cortez. Dolly didn't know but Cortez did and he had sworn she would never have to do something like that ever again. Not while he was around. To this day, he has kept that promise.

But he isn't here now.

And it has happened again.

Panic and fear swirl through Piper and she scrambles to her feet, a hundred ideas scrolling through her head...and she settled on one.

Locking her fear away, Piper reaches down, her copper skin gleaming in the light of the rising/setting sun. Her dark eyes were full of danger and Smith snapped his mouth shut. Piper pulled the dagger from the dead boy's side and slid it free with a wet, sucking sound. Smith flinched at the noise, frozen in her dark gaze. Piper's shorn hair fell in shaggy half curls around her face, dark with dirt and grime, half matted from the lack of bathing. Her high cheekbones were not as prominent since she has had the chance to put on a little weight with constant food but they are sharp enough that she still looks like a half wild child. The baggy clothes she is wearing carry a faint odor and swallow her in them, leaving her with the exaggerated look of a scarecrow.

Terror shone in Smith's eyes and Piper wanted to feel bad but right now, she is in the frame of mind that won't allow her to feel anything except grim determination to do what she needs to do. Piper has no intention of being caught by Peter Pan or _any_ of the other Lost Boys.

Right now, she needs to bury this little...issue.

"Wh-what are you doing?" Smith stammered, his voice barely above a whisper. Piper didn't answer, slowly wiping the dagger on the dead boy's clothes and rising, taking a step towards the terrified Lost Boy.

"You, are going to help me carry his body into the woods. We are going to disguise this as an accident. If you tell Pan about this, I will probably be killed...but I'll make sure to kill you before I go. Understood?" Piper spoke steadily, deepening her voice purposefully, a detached look in her dark eyes. It terrified Smith.

"B-but-"

"There are no buts. Either you do as I say, or I kill you too. What's it gonna be?" Piper asked calmly, holding the dagger loosely, the blade turned so that it is laying flat against her sweater-clad arm. All it would take is a quick, effortless draw of dagger against his neck and would bleed out in seconds. Or, she could just knick him and let the Dreamshade do its work. As though sensing her train of thought, his eyes flicking down to the dagger and Smith flinched before raising his eyes fearfully to hers.

"I-I'll help." Smith stammered out and Piper nodded, bending down and grasping a thick foot. Taking the silent cue, Smith helped her. Struggling to be a silent as possible while carrying the large body, Piper led him into the woods around the camp and onto a barely see-able path. Confused, Smith shot her a glance that Piper did not answer. She wasn't going to explain about the paths she has hidden all over the island. If she did, her whole plan to get back home could be ruined.

Their journey through the woods is quiet, only broken by the harsh panting Smith is doing. Piper struggles not to roll her eyes and make a snarky comment, focusing on the heavy body they are lugging through the woods. Coming upon a path that is almost completely overgrown, Piper begins to turn down it.

"Wait! Are you crazy?" Smith hissed, glancing warily at the path. Piper paused, not daring to set down the body and leave scuff marks. Her arms burn with the strain of carrying the larger body but she ignores it in favor of blinking the stinging sweat out of her eyes and staring questioningly at him. "Honestly! You don't wander down paths you aren't sure about. Especially if they are overgrown. That means that something had to have happened to stop us from using them. In this case it is the feral cats that live a little down that way! They eat attack us and then eat us. Why do you think we don't go down there?" Smith ranted and Piper silently rolled her dark eyes.

"They eat us." Piper growled lowly and he snapped his mouth shut. "No evidence." Piper explained and he paled, scared eyes locked on the entrance to the path. Rolling her dark eyes, Piper began to tug them to the path. Unwilling, Smith dug his feet in a little, shakes running through his arms. With a muffled growl, Piper caught his attention, the warning clear in her dark eyes. Smith lightened his walk, twitching at every single noise. This path was admittedly a little creepier than the others.

It was overgrown and silent so any noise was so much louder than expected. Piper was on high alert, her dark eyes scanning the areas behind her. So when the forest suddenly went completely silent, she dropped her end of the body, her dagger out in the next second as she whirled around...and there it was.

The little feral cat from before. Its spiky black pelt was the same, the small dashes of silver on it glimmering in the fading light as one lynx ear twitched. The fangs looked just as long and sharp as before, curved against the jaw, seeming to be whiter against the soft looking black fur lining its jaw. The cat was just sitting on the trail, the silver tip of its spiky black tail twitching, intelligent silver eyes locked on the duo and the dead body.

Then two more stepped out of the woods, standing on either side of the black and silver one protectively. These two were far larger, about the size of a teenage lion. The one on the left was a dusky red, darker copper strands glimmering as it shifted, the muscles rippling under the thick pelt. Its eyes were a piercing green as it took a step forward. For such a large animal, it was so silent. The second one was white and tan, the pelt curling a little. It had sharp blue eyes.

"What do we do?" Smith whispered and the white and tan one let out a dangerous snarl.

Piper was frozen.

What _should_ she do?

* * *

bittersweet S- Thank you so much for your review! And I know what you mean, my job is not exactly going easy on me either! I am glad you like where I am going with this and I hope you continue to enjoy this story!


	7. Chapter 7: An Unknown Amount of time P2

I own nothing except my characters.

 _ **Chapter Seven: An unknown amount of time later - Part Two**_

* * *

Piper snapped out of her daze, mentally blaming it on the fact that this is _only_ her second murdered person.

Taking a step forward, Piper tried to seem non-threatening to the feral cats. Ignoring Smith's panicked hissing about danger, stupidity and holy-hell-he-was-going-to-leave-if-she-didn't-get-back-there, Piper boldly met the middle cat's gleaming silver eyes.

"I am here with an offering." Piper ground out, her throat aching a little with how hard she is forcing herself to sound like she has gravel in her throat. The feral cats didn't twitch. The tan and white one rose to its paws, twitching a lynx ear back to the others as it took a threatening step forward, baring its long, curved white fangs. "That doesn't scare me." Piper growled, forcing herself to not react with anything other than her hand tightening around the dagger of her island dagger. How she wished she could pull out her special knife.

"Why are you here?" Piper stiffened with shock as another feral cat stepped out of the bushes. It's voice was light, musical and entirely female. Her pelt was a gleaming white with light orange stripes down her back and reaching down her sides. She took a regal step forward, larger than a lion but striped like a tiger.

"To dispose of a body." Piper had debated lying but that didn't strike her as something that would go over well with these feral cats. The largest cat cocked her head to the side, pale, slitted green eyes wise and knowing.

"Self defense is not something we will argue against. We will take the body but only because Fiercemoon seems rather fond of you." The large female flicked an amused gaze over her shoulder at the spiky black and silver cat. She twitched her inky black ear, stretching absently before trotting forward, past the largest feral cat and stopping before Piper. "She wants to be your companion but has yet to decide if you are worthy of it." Piper shot a surprised look at the largest female and she chuckled. "She would tell you but she cannot speak. Only I, Tigerstripe, as the leader of my clan can speak. We thank you for your gift but I bid you farewell now. We have not trespassed on your territory and now I ask that you grant us the same courtesy." Turning away, Tigerstripe flicked her tail at the two middle cats. "Duskrose, Tanpatch, take the body. You know where to dump it." Tigerstripe ordered and the two cats bowed their heads in acknowledgement before padding forward.

Smith squeaked, dropped his end and took off. Piper held still as the two feral cats got closer, though the temptation to roll her eyes was very extreme. Backing away from the two cats respectfully, Piper was awarded with another nod before they dragged the body off and all was still. The black and silver feral cat- Fiercemoon, padded forward, flicking her dark ear back and stopping in front of Piper. The two held gazes before Fiercemoon dipped her head once and crouched down, bunching her muscles up and leaping onto Piper's shoulder.

Reflexively reaching up to help steady Fiercemoon, Piper felt a little shock at the extreme softness of the spiky looking pelt. The closest she could describe it is the time she ate cotton candy and the way it melted in her mouth, both soft and liquid at the same time. Piper froze, unsure if she had startled the feral cat but didn't dare look.

To be fair, this really hasn't been a good night for her.

Then a rusty, rumbling purr vibrated through the feral cat and Piper relaxed at the soothing sound. It only went on for a few moments before the feral cat jumped down, shaking herself off and then trotting into the bushes without a second look back.

Piper stared after her for a second, shocked and confused before shaking herself off in a mimicry of the feral cat.

Turning, Piper ghosted to the closest stream, rinsing the dry blood off her hands as best as she could before rising and racing silently through the threatening trees back to camp.

 ** _~Unbowed-and-Unbroken~_**

"Where's Andrew?" Piper forced herself not to react when she heard Felix's dry question. Pan may be the leader of these Lost Boys, but he doesn't spend much time with the boys, thus allowing them to build up his image in their minds. Felix is left in charge of everything and he is like a big brother- albeit a very emotionless one- and the boys both respect and look up to him. "Anyone? If no one can tell me, I will be forced to tell Pan." Felix threatened and the whole camp froze.

Piper shot Smith a glare and he wilted, not wanting to face the dangerous truth in her dark eyes. He knows that even if he did go to Pan right now, he would be severely punished for not only not telling right away but for helping get rid of the body. Smith has made his choice and now he has to live with it.

"Who cares? He kept going on about how the savages didn't deserve to be attacked like this. He wanted to know what it was like to live with them." Smith scoffed, forcing himself to look annoyed and angered at the mention of his now-dead best friend. "He wasn't truly loyal to Pan and I bet he went off and got himself killed!" Smith let his disgust at what they did with the body show, convincing Felix that his words were true.

Without saying anything else, Felix turned on his heel and stalked over to Pan's tree house, knocking on the door.

Piper forced herself to continue with eating the 'stew' as the boys called it, despite the lack of stew appearance. The taste is something she has grown used to and Piper wonders how long exactly she has been here.

It feels like she has been here forever, the days never appearing or the nights. Piper had overheard the boys whispering and managed to figure out that it wasn't always like this, stuck between sunrise or sunset. Things like that are determined by Pan's mood. If he is in a good mood, he might have it be day all the time. If he is in a bad mood, storms and dark nights. Right now, he is as settled as a person like him gets, hence the balance between morning and night.

When Piper first heard that, she had scoffed but then remembered how he had used magic to appear and disappear. It was effortless to him so Piper didn't say anything, burying her fear at being caught as a girl and a liar deep as it could go before continuing on with what she had been doing.

Felix returned, a grim look settling over his features.

"Get up, Lost Boys. We are going to search for Andrew. If we find him, Pan has orders that we bring him back alive." Whispers emerged but were silenced with a dark glare from Felix.

"Angelo, take Salazar, Tony, Carter, Smith and...Pierce. Your group will take the fifth path, if you find anything, send one of your group to report to me immediately." Piper forced herself not to react. She had been sent on a path that ran parallel to the one she had taken to drop the body off with the feral cats. Smith shot her a panicked glare, one that Piper ignored as she finished her food, waiting until the entire group rose to follow.

It is easier for her to blend in when she is surrounded by boys that are louder and wilder than she is acting.

Dropping her bowl off with a disgruntled looking boy, Piper followed at Angelo's heels; his silent shadow. It wasn't an uncommon a sight to see: Piper following silently after Angelo with Salazar bouncing along and chattering with the both of them. That is mostly how they travel. Despite how it looks though, Piper has always been the leader of the little group. She has been their teacher and has saved their lives more than once in skirmish with the savages.

She hasn't killed any of the savages but she does know she has fatally injured them with her daggers a time or two before she dipped them in Dreamshade. As a result, Angelo and Salazar hold an awe close to hero-worship for her.

Angelo is younger than Piper by a few years and so he looks up to her as another big brother. If the poor boy ever discovered what her gender really was, he'd probably die of shock.

She once asked them why she, who is nineteen, has been brought to the island considering she is technically an adult and Angelo told her that there are no kids allowed older than Pan, who is also nineteen. If anyone one older than Pan is brought to the island, they are considered adults and the island doesn't like adults. Neither does Pan apparently. Salazar told her the tale of two adults that had made it onto the island once.

They hadn't left alive. Or fully whole but rather dead and in pieces, a message to any other adults that would think they could travel to a land for children. Piper had bristled at being called a child but kept her mouth shut, not wanting to draw attention.

It really burned in her, having to hold back so that she could be invisible. Piper isn't the type of person to be invisible. She is the type to be noticed for no other reason than her rather exotic looks but since she has to keep herself covered in big, baggy clothes and mud smeared on hands, face and neck, she has faded away.

Not many truly bother to see her and if it weren't for Angelo, Salazar and Felix, Piper would have gone crazy by now.

She still can't trust them fully (she had once had a conversation about Pan with Felix and after eyeing her silently, he had told her in no uncertain terms that he was Pan's man through and through and he would never forsake that. To which she had snarkily replied, _man_ or Lost _Boy_? Causing Felix, Angelo and Salazar to look at her, completely flummoxed. Piper didn't joke. She just _didn't_.) Still though, despite the fact that she couldn't trust them to have her back should the need arise, Piper did appreciate the friendship that Angelo and Salazar freely offered and that Felix reluctantly and somehow by mistake offered.

There is just something about her though, once they really noticed her, that was hard to let go of once they got to know 'Pierce' as best as they were allowed.

She is intriguing to them. She is quiet and closed off, half feral at times, yet she follows docilely after Angelo and listens with a patient ear to Salazar. When she is teaching, she barely speaks but still manages to get across the information in a non-confusing way. She isn't overly harsh yet there is something undeniably dangerous to her, though they haven't glimpsed it in a while.

She is close to an adult but never scolds them for childish acts. The way she walks mimics a boys swagger but they can see there is something far more lethal in her movements. She moves like she is prepared to start fighting at the drop of a hat, yet she is so steady and reliable during a fight that Felix, Angelo and even Salazar relax, knowing she would protect their backs as long as they protect hers.

The enigma of Piper only grew when they realized she could not hear the whistle of the pan pipes Pan played once. She had faded away and only reappeared after the music was gone, silently retaking her spot at Angelo's shoulder.

She doesn't believe herself to be unloved and uncared for yet she makes no move to escape to get away and she never talks about her past. Ever. Salazar tried to pry once and the look she gave him made him back off and avoid the subject with a passion rivaled only by his glee at being allowed on patrols.

Their group searches for Andrew and Smith drifts to her side, subconsciously clutching the once injured wrist in his other hand. Glancing down, Piper can see she left five thin crescent moon scars dotted between the veins in his wrist.

"What do we do if we find him?" Smith whispered and Piper shot him a wry look.

"We won't." She rumbled lowly and Angelo cast a curious back at hearing her voice. Piper so very rarely spoke that it was odd for the boys to hear it. She only spoke when she felt she absolutely had to. Salazar glanced back too, lowering his eyebrows in a scowl when he saw who she was talking to. Neither of the boys like Andrew or Smith as a result of their constant attempted bullying of Piper and deep down, their loyalty warms her a little, though she would never admit it aloud.

"How can you be sure?" Smith persisted and Piper shot him a warning look, causing him to clutch his wrist tighter and back off into the rest of the group. Piper allowed a sharp little grin to cross her lips before it was gone and she slipped up to take her place at Angelo's shoulder at the head of the group.

 _ **~Unbowed-and-Unbroken~**_

By the time they made it back to camp, the first true night that Piper had seen on the island had fallen but it was accompanied by whipping rain, roaring thunder and fierce streaks of lightning. Piper was a little anxious. She had a cloak to cover her head with but it wouldn't take long to soak through the cloak and start washing the mud off her face. Piper knew she would be caught as a girl if that happened because her face was so obviously feminine when there was no gooped on mud to disguise it.

The rest of the boys are gathered in the clearing of the camp, some standing, others sitting on the logs surrounding the fire and all of them anxious.

"Anything?" Felix asks when he spots them and Angelo slants a gaze to Piper. She silently shakes her head and he turns back to Felix, mimicking her movement. Felix sighs and for a moment, seems weary before he straightens his shoulders, returning to monotonous eyes and a dead voice. "Join the rest of the Lost Boys." Felix orders and they silently do as he says. It sort of reminds Piper of the day she 'proved' herself as a Lost 'Boy.' Felix had been running ragged with patrols all that night and didn't seem to care all that much when Pan put an apple on his head, placed a crossbow in Piper's inexperienced hands and told her to shoot.

She had almost missed the shot. Two inches lower and Felix would have died, yet when he pulled the apple down and saw it, he just pulled the arrow out and tossed the apple to her before marching off to his tent. Piper had caught it, rolling it in her palms before shrugging and sinking her gleaming white teeth into the apple.

He has that same tired look about him but Piper doesn't comment, knowing that guy doesn't appreciate when someone points something out like that. She had tried it with Cortez but after the first time he had snapped at her, she never directly mentioned he looked tired ever again.

Felix marches over to Pan's tree house, knocking before backing a step.

Like the first night she arrived here, Pan appears and they exchange terse words before Felix nods and moves back over to them.

"We have found evidence that Andrew was in league with the savages. If you see him, shoot on sight. That is all." Felix said tersely. Whispers burst out of the group as the rain slowly tapered off but it stayed dark.

* * *

Thanks to all of my new followers, favers and reviewers!

bittersweet - I am glad you liked(?) the cliffhanger and I am so happy you are excited for this story!

BookRain - Yeah, Piper is pretty tough, thank you so much for your review!

The Striking Storms - Thank you so much! I actually came up with this story after reading a few on this sight but I never saw a girl try to pretend to be a boy...then I wondered what would happen if they did and this story was born!


	8. Chapter Eight: Another little Lost Girl

I own nothing except my characters.

 _ **Chapter Eight: Another little Lost Girl**_

* * *

Piper stared boredly into the forest, Fiercemoon perched on her shoulder, her spiky black and silver tail sweeping lazily against her back. The feral cat had decided her worthy after about...an unknown amount of time ago. The two are inseparable except for when Piper goes into camp. Then the feral cat wanders off into the forest or uses the hidden escape flap to snooze in Piper's tent. It is uncanny at times, the intelligence of the feral cat. Piper has grown used to it but it still creeps Angelo out.

Salazar on the other hand, finds it one of the coolest things though he does nurse a small grudge to Fiercemoon for refusing anything to do with him. Piper secretly suspects it might have more to do with her being a girl than anything. Still, it is amusing to see the little boy pout because the little feral cat wouldn't take a piece of bread from him but eagerly snatches it up when Piper holds it out.

"Anything?" Angelo asks, breaking the comfortable silence between them. They have been assigned to watch their eastern border now that it has been expanded, yet again. Her and Angelo have along the border all night and Piper stifles a yawn as she gives a curt shake of her head. The sun is out today, glimmering gold in the air and making it seem like a magical place. Piper isn't fooled though. She has seen the darker side of the island and while she isn't all that fond of it, she prefers it to this. There is more shadows to hide in and no beauty to hide behind.

Piper shakes her head in the negative, shifting on her heels and rising to her full height, catching Angelo by surprise with the sudden image. She looks fierce and deadly with the glint of daggers hanging loosely in her palms as her dark eyes scan the forest, turned into liquid flames by the golden sunlight. Then she turns, the shadows shifting over her face and the look fades away. Blinking, Angelo shakes his head, scrambling to his feet when he hears people headed their way.

Readying his crossbow, Angelo glances over at Piper but seeing her relaxed against a tree (Fiercemoon had already left when she heard the boys), he lowers it without hesitation.

It took a little while but him, Salazar and Felix have learned to trust Piper's sharp ears. It beats the hell out of them but she can recognize if it is the Lost Boys or savages just by the way they sound moving through the forest. Piper tactfully decided not to tell them she can tell the difference because the savages are not as loud as the Lost Boys are. Piper really had to restrain her mischievous side to not tell them that she could only tell the difference because the Lost Boys are so much louder than the savages when they are traveling.

"Hey, Piper! Hey, Angelo!" Salazar chirps cheerfully, breaking through the forest and bounding over to them eagerly. His dark green eyes were sparkling happily and for a moment, Piper marveled at how the kid could stay so upbeat before she was distracted by the rest of the group coming out. Narrowing her dark eyes, Piper scanned the group for Felix's blonde hair and scarred face but he wasn't there. Felix normally led the first morning patrol to give the boys that guarded at night time to rest and the boys that were just getting up time to get wide awake.

"We got a new...person." Tony volunteered, his tanned skin and dark eyes reminding her of Cortez. The comparison ended there. He was about sixteen and his hair was long enough that he could and does tie it back in a low ponytail. Cortez would never allow his hair to grow out that long. Piper cocked a dark eyebrow, narrowing her dark eyes at him and he fidgeted before blurting it out. "It's a girl!" The other boys began grumbling and Tony flushed.

"Come on, Tony! You weren't supposed to tell!" One of the other boys protested and Tony shrugged.

"Sorry guys but you know how it is..." He fell uncomfortably silent, casting a searching glance at Piper as the other boys nodded in agreement. They did know how it was. When Piper wanted to know something, either you told her after the glare or she would pin you down with a dagger until you spilled all of your dirty little secrets. All of the boys knew how bad Andrew and Smith were with their bullying and one morning, Andrew is missing and Smith is following Piper/Pierce around like a Lost Puppy. It made them more wary of her, to say the least.

Piper had to hold her surprise in but the curiosity and cautiousness swirled together until they were a hard ball tucked uncomfortably under her rib cage. Striding forward, Piper had to hide a smile when the boys parted for her, Angelo and Salazar right on her heels. Walking confidently down the path, Piper half listened as Angelo began grilling Salazar about the girl.

Unfortunately he didn't know much because he had been on his way out of the camp when the girl had been brought in locked in a wooden cage. Piper cocked a slender, dark eyebrow, a wide grin bursting across her face and revealing gleaming white teeth before it faded away. Amusement glinted in her eyes as Piper thought over the differences between her and this new girl, deciding that it is a good thing she had been wearing the baggy clothes she has had on for weeks now.

It was hard when she was on her monthly but Piper has managed and Felix has been hinting at another rite of passage she will be having to pass soon. It stirs her curiosity because then Angelo and Salazar exchange excited and anticipatory looks along with the rest of the Lost Boys.

Breaking through the tree line, Piper, Angelo and Salazar spot the loud group of Lost Boys gathered around a wooden cage. Piper glimpses a flash of blonde hair before the boys shift and jostle each other in front of it again. Moving up behind the boys, Piper spots Felix at the same time he spots her. Moving over, he ducks his head down so that he can speak a little more clearly over the loudness of the other boys.

"We found her this morning. The shadow had been hovering over her unconscious form and she'd had a gag in her mouth. Something about the shadow..." Felix paused, seeing conflicted. "Something about the shadow made me think it had done it." Looking unsettled at his giving out information so freely, Felix snapped his mouth shut before glancing around with cautious blue eyes. "I have to let Pan know. Stay here and keep an eye on the boys. Don't let them get too rowdy." Felix ordered before hurrying away in search of Pan.

Piper nodded at his back before turning on her heel and walking over to the camp line, sitting back against a tree and flipping the hood of her cloak up, crossing her arms. Angelo and Salazar hesitated, glancing between her and the wooden cage before moving over and slinging themselves down on either side of her. Piper flicked Salazar's nose and he grinned brightly at her from where he flopped on his back before rolling over and drawing in the dirt.

Slowly scanning her gaze over the camp, Piper wondered why she suddenly has this deep shadow of dread forming in the pit of her stomach.

 _ **~Unbowed-and-Unbroken~**_

Shifting anxiously, the boys glanced at the cage off to the side of the camp. Piper leaned back on the log, rolling her dark eyes from the safety of her hooded cloak. After Pan and Felix had gotten back, Pan had cleared out the camp, ordering them to one side and one side only. Then he and Felix went back into tree house and haven't emerged since.

It was left up to Piper to organize patrols and send the boys out, only staying behind in camp to follow Felix's order of making sure the boys didn't get too rowdy while he was gone. She hasn't been having many problems, considering none of the boys want to cross her. Piper shifts on the ground, glancing up at the slowly darkening sky. Her eyes lag a little and she wants to sleep since she has been up all night patrolling but even though Angelo offers to take over, Piper refuses to disobey a direct order from Pan's second.

That is not a good way to fly under the radar at all.

A tired group of boys trudged into camp, veering around the wood cage and dropping down around the rest of the boys by the fire.

"Salazar, get the boys some food. Stan, Curly (the small, slightly chubby boy with dark brown curls brightens up eagerly), Anton, Grady and Owen, you are going to take over their patrol. Hurry and finish eating." Angelo says, glancing at Piper every so often to see which boys she wanted going out. The boys nodded to Piper, scoffing down their food before rising, gathering their weapons and disappearing down the path.

Salazar scoops out The Stew, asking the boys questions about their patrol.

Piper leans back against the log, discreetly slipping long, slender copper fingers into her laced up combat boots, stroking a finger down the leather wrapped handle of the special knife. It is too long to fit fully into the boot so Piper has forced herself to wear them with the baggy black cargo pants pulled over them. She hates to do it, preferring her pants tucked inside the boots but then again, a boy wouldn't be too concerned with 'fashion' so she has reluctantly gotten used to it.

Still though, she swears to herself as a 1976 new year's resolution (assuming it is still 1975 back home), Piper will tone it down on the drinking and turn it up just the slightest with fashion. She has never really been the type to care about that stuff, a fact that has saved her life here. Still though, it is a little insulting day after day to be considered a boy when she is not. Granted, she is doing her utmost best to hide her femininity but still, very insulting. At least her hair has grown out some, barely reaching her shoulders but it is grimy and matted, the curls no longer appearing.

Hygiene. Another thing going at the very top of the list. Piper swears she will never ask for anything else in her life if she can just take a warm bath without having to worry if she will be caught. Right now, she would _kill_ for a hairbrush. Luckily, she had a bottle of toothpaste hidden in one of her many pockets that she had swiped from the house before she started drinking. She has had to ration it but as a result, she has gleaming white teeth and minty fresh breath every morning, a fact that frustrates Angelo to no end because she hasn't showed it to him.

"Copper for your thoughts?" Angelo joked. Him and Salazar had started calling her copper because of her skin and because she carries a 'lucky' copper penny in one of her pockets. Often when she is bored, Piper can be found spinning the copper in the air and on her thumb.

Piper shot Angelo an unamused glance and he shrugged, unbothered by the look.

Him and Salazar seemed to be getting a little too comfortable with her, Piper mused, returning her dark eyes to the fire. A boy raised his voice, rising from his seat as he clenched his hands angrily. Piper lashed out, kicking his ankle harshly and shooting him a warning glance. The boy paled a little, sitting back down and rubbing his ankle. The other boys shifted away from him the slightest bit, none of them wanting to be on the receiving end of Piper's glare.

"Did'ya have to do that, Pierce?" Salazar groaned, flopping down beside her. Piper eyed him before tilting her lips up in a faint smirk. Salazar rolled his dark green eyes, wrinkling his nose before he picked up a dagger and a stick, sharpening it with quick and efficient strokes. It is one of the first jobs boys in camp are shown. After the stick is sharpened, there is an arrowhead lashed to it and feathers flecked on it so that it can turn into an effective arrow.

"Do you know when they are coming out?" Travis, one of the younger boys asked hesitantly. Piper shrugged her shoulder and nodded, sitting back and staring at the fire. Normally, the boys would be split up. There would be some shooting arrows, others wrestling, others making more arrows and then the ones just dancing around the fire and being wild. Then there were the ones like Piper that sat at the fringes of the chaotic whirl of shouts, laughter and groans and silently wished they could join in. Piper doesn't wrestle though.

She doesn't touch for long because she doesn't want anyone to feel comfortable enough with her to touch. If they did, they might feel something they shouldn't and then Piper would be caught out as a girl. Something that apparently isn't very fun on this island from the look of that wooden cage. The door to Pan's tree house opens, revealing the boy himself with Felix close behind him. Instantly everyone is on their feet, crowding as close as they dare.

"Well now, lads! It seems we have a visitor!" Pan grinned viciously, his emerald eyes glinting with shifting shadows and his bronzed hair looking as windswept and soft as always. "Let's take a look, shall we?" As one, the Lost Boys let out a wordless roar and Piper could barely make out the startled yelp from in the cage. Pan snapped his fingers, kneeling in front of the cage and the door swung open. "Hello there, darling. Come on out and greet my Lost Boys." Piper drifted closer, curiosity stirring in her as Pan spoke softly, holding out his hand.

Then a trembling little hand reached out, clasping Pan's, a delicate silver chain bracelet with a single little silver charm of a ballerina dangling from it...and Piper's heart just...stopped.

Because she recognized that bracelet.

She had bought that as a present for Dolly when they were twelve and the strawberry blonde was still under the impression that she would become a Prima Ballerina someday. Piper knew she shouldn't but she pushed closer still, until she was just behind one last boy before she would break out into the clearing.

Dolly slowly emerged from the cage, dirt smeared on her face and her eyes tinged with red. Her clothes (which could normally be found impeccable despite their living conditions) were torn and dirt stained. Piper clenched her hands into fists, her face hardening and her dark eyes flashing at the thought of anyone making Dolly- _her_ _Dolly_ \- cry.

Piper's heart was pounding in her chest, almost as though it were a wild horse trying to break free of her chest.

She felt simultaneously great relief at seeing one of her best friends...and great terror for what could happen to little Dolly in Pan's all too cruel hands.

"Now then, what is your name?" Pan asked, a wicked gleam in his dark green eyes and a smirk curling on his dusky lips. Dolly hesitated, glancing around warily and Piper recognized her friend trying to look for a way out. _Good girl, just wait for the right time and answer his question..._ Piper inwardly coached, small tremors running through her at the effort it took to hold herself back.

"Dolly." She answered quietly and Pan chuckled, a sarcastic edge to it as his hand tightened around Dolly's. She cried out with pain and Piper felt a snarl building in her throat as she took the smallest of steps forward and froze...but it was too late. Dolly saw her and sheer relief swept over her face and glowed in her blue eyes. "Piper! Piper, help!" Dolly cried out and it felt like she was ripping Piper's heart out.

Pan's head snapped around, his eyes locked unnervingly with Piper's. His eyes flooded with dark intent and Piper knew she was going to have to do some damage control before this all spiraled. Out. Of. Control.

Piper took a step forward, pasting an amused look on her features.

"I'm hurt, Dolls. I really am." Piper rumbled, ignoring the twinge of pain in her throat at the effort of speaking so low. Dolly just looked confused, swaying on her feet and just about to buckle. "It's Pierce, now what do you want with my twin sister?"


	9. Chapter Nine: Piper or Pierce: The Truth

I own nothing except my characters.

 _ **Chapter Nine: Piper or Pierce: The Truth...Revealed**_

* * *

Piper kept her gaze unwavering on Dolly, hoping the strawberry blonde will catch the hint. After a few, tense moments, Dolly shook her head, stumbling a little with only Pan's grasp on her hand keeping her up.

"P-Pierce. She went missing. I can't find Piper, you need to come home and help us find her." Dolly pleaded and Piper's heart twisted in her chest as she forced herself to look away, trying to look completely bored.

"That isn't my problem. Why can't Cortez look for her?" In other words, how's Cortez?

"He is injured. After you went missing, we went out looking for you and there was a dog in the backyard-" Piper groaned, shaking her head, already knowing what will happen. "He didn't check and the dog bit him. It's been a week back home and Piper went missing shortly after you did." Dolly said, a tired glaze to her eyes. It was taking everything in Piper to stay where she was and not rush forward to help her friend. She could feel the piercing gaze of Pan locked on her, assessing everything she does just like the Lost Boys are.

"I can't help you, sorry but you have to go back." Piper said boldly, hoping Pan would agree...

"Nope, sorry Dolly but back into the cage with you." Shoving her unceremoniously back into the cage, Pan locks it with a wave of his hand and gestures Piper to come forward. Dread makes her stomach drop out as she strides closer, forcing herself to not drop her Pierce persona. "Now, explain to me why this little girl thought you were a girl?" Pan narrowed his shadowed green eyes dangerously, a wicked grin curling on his lips and distracting Piper for a moment.

Lowering her dark eyes, Piper forced herself to be loose and submissive.

"My twin looks like me." Piper rumbled, hyper-actively scanning her voice and searching for any sign of femininity in it. Peter Pan began circling her before waving his hand dismissively.

"Felix, follow me." The scarred blonde cast a searching look her way before nodding and following right on Pan's heels. The instant the two were locked in the tree house, the other boys flooded around, their loud questions and too-close bodies causing Piper to be on edge. Small, fine little tremors were racing through her body and she grew wary, baring her teeth and jerking at the smallest sounds. Then one of the boys got too close and Piper released a deep growl, scaring him so badly that he yelped and tripped backwards, falling to the ground.

"Back off." Piper growled lowly and the boys fell silent, backing into a large circle. Piper held their startled stares before forcing herself to relax the battle ready stance and tuck her daggers away under her cloak once more. Straightening, Piper swept through the group, heading for her tent and shutting it behind her. Angelo and Salazar came to a halt, staring uncertainly. They have never been allowed in the tent and they know they can't go in right now but at the same time, they want to be there for their friend.

Exchanging agreeing looks, they flopped down against the tree outside her tent, resolving to wait there for her.

They planned to stay there for as long as it would take.

 _ **~Unbowed-and-Unbroken~**_

A few days passed with Dolly being taken away where Piper couldn't find her.

She was on edge, tenser than ever, snapping at the smallest things. The Lost Boys understood but that didn't mean they had to like being snapped at all the time. Still, if any of them dared to make their displeasure shown, Piper was right there with a cruel taunt and a sharp dagger. Needless to say, during those few days, Piper wasn't exactly the most popular among the boys.

Then came the day when Piper returned from a patrol, weary from being out all day only to come back to the main camp and find Felix with a harsh grip on Dolly's upper arm. Her small, delicate features were twisted in pain as she stood on her tip toes, forced to remain that way or have her arm twisted out of the socket. Her baby blue eyes shone with terror and tears but Piper felt a burst of pride when she saw that none of the tears had fallen.

Piper filed in with the rest of the boys, her hands drifting discreetly under her cloak, slender copper fingers wrapping around the leather hilts of her daggers, prepared to do whatever it took to protect her friend.

When all the boys were in a large, loose circle surround Felix and Dolly, Pan appeared.

His shadowed emerald eyes glinted wickedly as he held out his arms in greeting, a wicked grin bared on his handsome face.

"Welcome my Lost Boys...to the Execution!" Pan announced and as one, the boys burst into cheers, stamping their feet on the ground in a rough and wild rhythm. Glee flared across Pan's face as his eyes unerringly found Piper. He cocked a bronze eyebrow before turning to Felix and Dolly. "Now, darling, you can choose to die in different ways. Would you like way number one...arrow." Sheer terror flared in Dolly's eyes and Piper could hear the low whimper slide out of her. Piper had to hold back her own distressed whimper, sliding closer, dark eyes locked on Dolly with a starving sort of longing.

Angelo and Salazar watched uncertainly, torn between Piper and Pan.

"Way number two will be death by drowning and way number three will be death by battle." Pan announced and the boys let loose an explosive cheer, shaking their fists, daggers, clubs and crossbows in the air in approval. Dolly's terrified blue eyes flicked around but she didn't spot Piper, who had scooted forward in a subconscious desire to let her little sister-friend spot her. "Now. What'll it be?" Pan asked wickedly, crossing his arms imperiously as he began to hover off the ground.

"B-battle." Dolly whimpered, her terrified gaze locked on the space between the ground and Pan's feet as he gave a delighted laugh.

"Battle it is." He mocked, landing and turning to the surrounding Lost Boys. "And I pick...Tyler." Piper froze. Tyler was the largest of the boys with thick, rippling muscles. He was always angry and always ready for a fight. The large boy nodded calmly at Pan, stalking forward and dropping his large club, swinging his cloak carelessly to the side. Piper couldn't hold back the thin whine as it escaped her throat but her dark eyes were wide with terror and locked on her friend. Her muscles were straining with the effort to not burst forward and slam the dagger into the base of Tyler's skull, killing him instantly.

Felix released Dolly, shoving her to the side as he stepped to the edge of the circle, Pan leaning against a tree beside him.

"Begin." Pan sounded almost bored as he gave an imperial wave of his hand.

Tyler began to circle the tiny looking strawberry blonde before blurring forward, knocking her down with a blow to the face. Dolly's yelp was so high pitched that Piper could hear it perfectly over the roar of the Lost Boys. Piper flinched, her nails digging into her palms as she slipped closer, half wild with her need to get to Dolly. Dolly slowly climbed to her feet, a large, quickly appearing dark purple bruise spreading down the right side of her face. She wavered on her feet, her eyes dazed and confused.

Then Tyler shot forward and Dolly dropped, skillfully evading his attempt to attack her. Whirling around, Tyler released a loud roar as he tackled her to the ground. Dolly screamed as his meaty fist pummeled her side, releasing a loud crack. She wiggled free and made a break for the circle, grasping a dagger and swinging it around herself. The boys scrambled back, it suddenly eerily silent as the they tried to get away from the poisonous weapon. Pan straightened, his piercing green eyes locked on Dolly.

Piper slipped closer, slipping a hand down into her boot and grasping the special dagger.

"Felix." Pan ordered and instantly the blonde second was slipping forward, expertly wrangling the knife from Dolly and pressing it to her throat as he held her captive against her front. Dolly strained against his arm and the blade, terrified and wild blue eyes scanning the crowd.

"Piper!" She screamed and Piper's face crumbled as she slipped even closer, an undeniable tug drawing her unresistant form closer. "Pierce!" Dolly screamed, fear echoing in her voice.

"Now, now, darling. My Lost Boy won't be coming to save you." Pan said patronizingly, beckoning Piper forward. "Will you?" Pan asked, not really expecting an answer as Piper stepped out of the crowd.

"Pierce!" Dolly cried out, her pain and fear and confusion clouding her voice and her eyes. "Please!" Dolly begged and Piper's hand tightened around the hilt of the special dagger as she tensed...and lunged forward. A shout rang out and two of the Lost Boys shot forward, wrestling her to the ground. Piper let loose a wordless roar of rage, slashing at the boys but her rage made her clumsy and the dagger only got caught on the cloaks of the two boys.

Then it happened.

Piper was fighting and Dolly called out, "Piper!"...and Piper turned her head, instinctively responding to the name.

"Piper, be _careful!_ " Dolly shouted, fear making her reckless. Piper narrowed her dark eyes and fell limp in the arms of the two Lost Boys restraining her. Startled, they relaxed their hold only to regret it when she surged forward, whirling around and slamming the heel of her palm into the first boy's nose, breaking instantly and knocking him out. Not pausing, she ducked a punch and swept the second boy's feet from under him, driving her knee into his gut and expelling his air with an explosive gasp.

Instantly, Piper had her special dagger out and pressed lightly against his throat.

"Move," She growled roughly. "And you die, understood?" Her dark eyes were full of deadly promise and the boy whimpered, fear stark in his baby blue eyes.

"Well now, it seems my Lost _'Boy'_ has been lying to me." Pan sauntered forward with a sharp grin, anger flaring in his emerald eyes. "Hasn't she?" Pan asked pointedly. Piper didn't move, a statue on the boy's chest, her eyes locked on Dolly's.

"It's gonna be okay, Dolls." Piper said lowly, struggling to keep her rough boy voice.

"Now, now," Pan admonished, holding out a mocking hand. "You shouldn't make promises you can't keep." Pan said snarkily, walking closer. Piper tensed up, digging her blade into the boy's skin. He cried out below her and Pan stopped, narrowing his emerald eyes.

"Come here, Dolly." Piper growled and the little strawberry-blonde didn't hesitate to dart forward towards Piper. Pan's hand shot out and he grabbed Dolly by the throat and began levitating, holding her above the ground.

"Pipe-" Dolly choked, clawing at his hand, tears welling up in her soft blue eyes and her face turning red. Piper surged to her feet, all of her focus training on her friend. She was like a hunting dog, everything in her pointed right at Dolly with razor focus. Piper was silent but she kept wrinkling back her lips threateningly before stopping herself, not wanting to antagonize Pan.

"Please." Piper let the word escape her softly, for the first time speaking with her true voice. It was soft with a decidedly feminine lightness to it, a throaty edge to it because of the damage to her vocal cords. Pan's eyes sharpened with interest and he relaxed his grip, lowering until Dolly had her feet on the ground. She began coughing explosively, tears streaming down her cheeks. Piper whimpered and took a step forward.

"Uh, uh!" Pan snapped, waggling his finger at her mockingly and tightening his other hand around Dolly's throat.

"No! No!" Piper protested and slid back a few feet, lowering her torso so she wasn't presenting such a threatening image. "Please!" Piper called again, her feminine voice still startling her after all this time of using the rough boy voice. "Please." There was the faintest hint of a sob in her words but Pan remained unaffected, though the same couldn't be said of Angelo and Salazar. They were utterly stunned and reeling from this new information but at the same time, feeling far more protective of Piper than they were before.

Piper carefully slid her special dagger into her boot and carefully lowered herself even further.

"Don't hurt her." Piper said, her dark eyes locked on Dolly's. She was trying to convey a sense of confidence and security for her younger friend but was finding it hard with this tense situation. "Don't hurt her." Piper repeated as two Lost Boys came out of the crowd. Piper stiffened when she saw it was Angelo and Salazar but didn't let this newest betrayal bother her. She was focused on Dolly- _her Dolly._ Piper didn't know what she would do if something were to happen to Dolly. It would destroy her completely.

"Felix, come and take the girl." Pan ordered, watching with amusement when Salazar and Angelo grabbed Piper's arms, restraining them behind her back. Angelo reached down and pulled the dagger from her boot without a word, his normally kind and open face closed and hard. He tucked it in his pants while Salazar took the two island daggers from her. Piper tensed up when Felix walked up to Pan, grabbing Dolly roughly and placing a dagger at her throat, knicking the tender skin. A thin rivulet of scarlet blood stood out starkly against Dolly's pale skin.

Piper let out an agonized sound, straining forward towards Dolly.

They would never say it but it was killing Salazar and Angelo to be forced to watch Piper like this. Their friend is normally so calm and composed that to see her so unhinged and terrified is making them uneasy.

Pan sauntered forward and circled around Piper, who ignored him in favor of staring at Dolly. The little blonde's blue eyes were wide with terror but at the same time, she wasn't freaking out anymore. Not now that she knows this is _her_ Piper, the one who would do _anything_ to keep her safe. Dolly trusted Piper with her life back home, why should this be any different?


	10. Chapter 10: The Decision

I own nothing except my characters.

 _ **Chapter Ten: The Decision**_

* * *

Pan stared at Piper, for the first time, taking a moment to actually _look_ at her.

Piper was slathered with mud but underneath it, he could see the faintest potential of her as a female. Her eyes were large and dark but tilted on the corners, framed by thick, long curling lashes. That, coupled with her copper skin made her look wild and exotic. Piper was tall and slender, her curls a beautiful deep brown with hints of red and gold that gave it the copper color. She had potential and Pan was feeling very vexed that he had missed something so large and so _right in front of him_.

No one could ever know that he had been duped so completely and by a _girl_.

"What would you do to keep this girl safe?" Piper tore her tortured gaze away from Dolly to focus on Pan, a fierce expression sweeping over her mud covered features. There was a wolfish glint to her dark eyes when she locked them with Pan.

"Anything." There was no hesitation, only absolute conviction.

"Murder?" Pan questioned idly and again, no hesitation.

"I've done it before." Piper said, ignoring the way Dolly jerked in Felix's grip, a broken sob escaping her.

"You told me he _lived_!" Dolly cried and Piper closed her eyes briefly, lowering her head and swallowing deeply before raising her head and opening her eyes.

"He tried to _rape_ you, Dolly." A flat look descended over Piper's expressive eyes, making them cold and savage. "I did what I had to do to keep you alive." Piper said steadily, raising her head proudly, refusing to be ashamed of doing what had to be done. Pan slowly nodded his head, a contemplative expression in his eyes.

"I'm going to have her killed." Pan said confidently, idly twirling his own dagger in his hands. Piper tensed and jerked forward, ignoring the pain in her shoulders when Salazar and Angelo roughly yanked her backwards, going on instinct. Piper shot the two of them deadly looks. It struck them deeply to see the friendly distance gone from her eyes, leaving only the promise of death if they got in her way. "Unless-" Pan said, snaring her attention instantly. Piper froze, a small bit of hope stirring in her until she ruthlessly squashed it.

"Unless what?" Piper asked icily. Pan smirked and flipped his dagger in the air, catching it by the tip and flipping it around, sliding it into his sheath.

"Unless you can...persuade me into not making that decision." Pan said with a smug smirk. Piper stared at him for a moment, letting the words sink in. Then she gave a proud toss of her head, giving him a scornful laugh.

"I hadn't thought that _you'd_ sink so low as to need to blackmail someone into having sex with you." Piper said contemptuously. Pan stiffened and narrowed his emerald eyes but she continued speaking before he could say anything. "But I told you I would do anything for her and I meant it." Piper said, raising her head high.

"That wasn't what I wanted." Pan said derisively. "I have others that sate those needs of mine." He said cockily, swaggering forward. "No, for you, I have a different job in mind." He pointed his dagger at her, having removed it from the case faster than her eyes could follow. " _You_ are going to help me destroy those _savages_ on _my_ island." Pan ordered.

"Done." Piper said with no hesitation and Pan nodded smugly.

"I thought you might say that." His smirking sneer made Piper wish she could just get one jaw hit in so she could leave a pretty little bruise on that ridiculously sharp jawline. "Boys." Pan nodded at Salazar and Angelo. They hesitated for a moment before backing off. Piper spun around and snatched her special dagger from Angelo, tucking it into her boot and shooting a sharp glare at Salazar.

He held out her daggers, trying to be calm but the trembling in his small hands betraying him. Piper plucked the two island daggers from him, tucking them in her belt before turning dismissively away from the two boys.

"What do I do first?" Piper asked Pan coldly and he tilted his head to the side, pursing his lips and surveying her before giving a dismissive shrug.

"Take a bath." He ordered and she stiffened, narrowing her dark eyes.

"I'll take Dolly and scout the savages." Piper replied but Pan shook his head, grinning darkly.

"Do you think I am stupid?" Pan asked sardonically and Piper clenched her jaw. No, she didn't think he was stupid but she did think that was part of the problem. Pan was too smart for her own good or more accurately, too smart for Dolly's own good. "Dolly returns to the place I had her in before." Pan said pointedly to Felix. Piper refused to acknowledge the blonde and walked closer to Dolly, ignoring the way Felix tensed up.

Pan appeared in front of her and Piper came to an immediate halt, just narrowly missing walking right into him. He was close. Too close. Piper could see the faint lines of wear and tear in his green leather vest. She could see the single knot in one of the ties laced in his shirt. She could smell his scent, a mixture of the woods and something spicy.

Piper forced herself not to move and met his eyes defiantly.

"I was just going to say goodbye." Piper told him, forcing her voice to remain blank. Pan narrowed his eyes before disappearing. Piper turned, unwilling to have such a dangerous person at her back. Not that she could do much while she was facing him, considering he has the magic and she doesn't.

"Make it quick." Pan ordered and Piper narrowed her eyes but nodded curtly, whirling around and stalking closer to Dolly. Felix tried to catch Piper's eye but she ignored him, focusing on putting Dolly at ease.

"Hey Dolls, long time no see, am I right?" Piper raised her eyebrows teasingly. Dolly smiled despite herself and stumbled forward, flinging herself at Piper. "Hey, easy there, sweetheart." Piper murmured throatily, bringing her arms up and cradling Dolly close to her chest. "I've got you, Dolls." Piper kept her voice soft, feeling the trembling form of Dolly against her own. Piper gently stroked Dolly's strawberry-blonde hair, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, fortifying herself. "Okay, Dolly." Piper forced herself to harden her voice and push Dolly back until the younger girl was staring at her face to face.

"What are we going to do, Piper?" Dolly asked beseechingly, her big blue eyes wide with fear and tears. Piper gave Dolly a gentle smile that transformed her face into something beautiful and reached out, gently wiping Dolly's tears away.

"You let me worry about that, yeah?" Piper asked and Dolly nodded trustingly, hope shining in her eyes. Piper held back the urge to sigh. No matter how much she has hardened her own heart, she still can't bring herself to scold the younger girl when she looks like that.

"You'll keep me safe, Piper. I know you will." Dolly said confidently, sharing a tremulous smile with Piper.

"You are going to have to go back where you were before, you know that, right Dolls?" Piper asked and Dolly nodded, her confidence faltering a little when the fear crept in.

"Can you come and see me?" Dolly pleaded and Piper nodded without hesitation, ignoring the way Felix started and narrowed his eyes. Piper cupped Dolly's cheek and held her blue eyes.

"I'll find a way, you know I will." Piper said softly. "Can you tell me why the shadow brought you here?" Piper asked and Felix shifted closer, attempting to overhear what they are whispering about. Piper shot him a poisonous glare while Dolly leaned closer and whispered into her ear.

"I called for him." Dolly whispered and Piper stiffened, staring at her friend with shock. Dolly gave her a small, sad smile while Felix walked over and grabbed her arm.

"Time to go." Felix said gruffly.

"Why?" Piper whispered, stunned and shaken to her core. Dolly held her eyes while Felix began to drag her away.

"You didn't think you were the only one who would do almost anything for each other, did you?" Dolly asked, just seconds before Felix dragged her out of sight. Piper stared after her crazy, reckless friend before raking her fingers through her unruly curls, uncaring that some of the mud flaked away from the curls. She stared after where her friend disappeared before whirling around and drawing up short.

Salazar and Angelo were watching her with vaguely betrayed looks but at the moment, she isn't really in the mood for them.

Piper stalked past them and out of the camp, whistling softly for Fiercemoon.

It wasn't long before the feral cat leapt elegantly from the bushes and trotted over to Piper, winding around her ankles with a gentle purr.

" _How_ did everything get so fucked up, so fast, Fiercemoon?" Piper asked, anger whirling through her with nowhere to go. Piper released an explosive sigh, cuddling the feral cat close to her chest and continuing on the path. All of her plans are screwed up now. Her plans only accounted for one thing, getting herself off this island, no matter the cost. For rather obvious reasons, that plan will no longer work because Piper flat-out refuses to do anything to put Dolly in danger.

New plan: get Dolly off of this gods-be-damned island, no matter the cost.

Piper ghosted through the trees, Fiercemoon curled in the crook of one of her arms and her other hand gripping one of the island daggers. Taking deep breaths, Piper let the tension seep from her and continued on her way. It wasn't long before the trees began to change from tall, shadowed and eerie to proud, noble trees that flowers drifted lazily down from. The footing became less treacherous and vibrant green grass cushioned her every footstep.

Piper is on the savages territory right now.

If Pan ever found out that she has been coming here for an unknown but certainly long amount of time, he would go batshit. Piper tucked her dagger in her belt and boosted Fiercemoon into one of the trees, climbing up after her. Confidently, Fiercemoon began to lead the way through the thick, twisting branches, her silver-tipped tail waving jauntily behind her. Piper followed closely behind the feral cat, twisting and climbing through the branches silently.

Then one moment, all was silent, save for animals moving around and the next, Piper passed through some sort of magical bubble and the clearing beyond exploded into sound.

This is the true reason Pan can never find the savages. It's because the island itself is hiding them from him. The magical bubble, for lack of a better term, hides only their main camp and it keeps sound in, smells in, hell it even keeps in smoke from fires. Piper settled on a branch, watching as the brightly colored tribe moved busily around their camp. There was a marked difference between this camp and the Lost Boy's camp.

In this camp, there is a cheerful air with everyone calling out to each other happily. Everyone had their own little job and for the kids that didn't, they were laughing happily and tossing a ball made of leaves around. There was no fighting or animosity that Piper could detect and she is pretty good about sussing out those types of things.

Piper wasted the day away, just sitting on that branch, stroking down Fiercemoon's back. As the day dragged on, Piper began to get restless and finally got up, giving one last glance at the camp before she exited the bubble and traveled back to the Lost Boy's territory.

Piper picked up a branch and began aimlessly sharpening it with her dagger. Her mind was racing with plans but one thing was clear, Piper couldn't show Pan where the tribe's camp was, not yet at least. She isn't stupid and Piper knows that if he finds out she knew where the camp was all along, he would kill Dolly in front of her and then kill her too.

Piper glances down at the sharpened stick and puts one notch in it before sticking it in her belt. One notch for one day Dolly is on the island. Fiercemoon hopped down and Piper paused.

"Could you talk to Tigerstripe about possibly sending out a few scouts to search for Dolly?" Piper asked quietly. Fiercemoon paused and glanced back, slitted silver eyes glowing back at her. Then the spiky little cat turned and trotted daintily over to Piper, winding around her ankles with a gentle purr. Piper smiled, understanding that Fiercemoon would do her best.

Then the feral cat left, disappearing soundlessly into the trees while Piper continued back to the camp.

* * *

Guest - Thank you so much for your kind words!

The Striking Storms - I'm happy you liked it!

BookRain - I can tell you are attached to Piper, hopefully in the future, you will still like what I have going on with her!

CRAZYJAMES1- Thank you, I can tell you really do love this story.


	11. Chapter Eleven: A peek into her mind

I own nothing except my characters.

 _ **Chapter Eleven: A peek into her mind**_

* * *

 ** _~Unbowed-and-Unbroken~_**

Dolly sat in her bamboo cage, feeling miserable. She was certain she looked miserable too, a fact that made her feel even worse. She winced, feeling bad that Piper was out there, possibly in danger while she sits in here, worry about how she looks of all things. Dolly heaved a big sigh, pulling her knees up to her chest and shifting so the bamboo didn't dig quite so harshly into her butt and feet.

Ouch.

Nope, the new position is even worse. Tears began to rise in Dolly's eyes. It wasn't fair. How come all of this bad stuff is happening to _them_? Dolly is a good person and in her eyes, Piper is the best big sister/friend a girl could have. Cortez is her big brother/friend and for the longest time, the three of them have been inseparable.

Sighing again, Dolly blinked rapidly to keep the tears from falling.

Okay, thinking about how it used to be when they were all together possibly wasn't a good idea.

"What's wrong?" Dolly glanced over at the other girl in the second bamboo cage, swaying from the light breeze. She felt a blush on her cheeks, remembering how she'd reacted the first time the other girl spoke. She'd been so startled, she'd yelped and flailed around, causing her own cage to dip and spin on the branch it was hanging from.

"I was just thinking about my friends." Dolly whispered, feeling a little better at the reminder she isn't completely alone.

"Yes, I had a friend but he isn't here anymore." The other girl whispered, sounding sad.

"How did he leave?" Dolly asked, hope in her chest. She might not be able to do anything from this stupid cage but Piper…Piper can do nearly anything.

"I have no clue, we were separated." The girl said sadly.

"Oh. Sorry." Dolly said softly, relaxing her grip on the cage as the hope in her chest sputtered and went out.

"Well now, isn't this sweet? Both of my captives are bonding!" Dolly stiffened when she heard Peter Pan's loud, obnoxious voice outside her cage. "What do you think, Felix?" Pan asked.

"Perfectly sweet, Pan." Felix said, his dead voice making Dolly shrink back. She hated that blank voice and those dead eyes because they remind her of a time before when she first met Piper. The other girl had looked so dangerous because of those dead eyes and her willingness to do anything it took to survive, despite how small and thin she'd been at the time.

Dolly's door clicked open and she shrunk back, not wanting to come out if it isn't to go see Piper.

"Come on out, little doll." Pan's voice was distinctly mocking and Dolly bristled, crawling forward.

"Only Piper and Cor can call me that." Dolly said quietly, anger burning in her soft blue eyes.

"It's a good thing she isn't here then, she'll never have to know, will she?" Dolly narrowed her eyes, lowering them to the ground. "Now then, tell me about Piper."

 ** _~Unbowed-and-Unbroken~_**

Piper robotically scooped food from her bowl to her mouth, not tasting it. She was staring into the fire, her mind racing behind dark eyes. The steady pressure of the stick against her side prompts her thoughts of escape forward, along with the five notches on it.

That's five days that Dolly has been on this stupid island, five days Piper has failed her friend.

Her spoon scrapes the bottom of the bowl and Piper pauses her thinking, looking at the bowl with vague surprise before rising fluidly and handing the bowl off to Angelo, the one on dish duty for the night. He tries to catch her eye but Piper doesn't allow him to. Instead she turns away, ready to plot some more.

"Wait! Pierce!" Piper paused reflexively at the boy name before inwardly cursing herself and narrowing her dark eyes, turning to see Salazar fidgeting awkwardly from foot to foot.

"What do you want?" Piper asked coldly and he flinched, shame flushing through his bronze cheeks and drowning his freckles in dark pink.

"I just…I wanted to know if you are going on patrol tonight?" Salazar asked hopefully, his dark green eyes anxious. Piper stared at him for a moment, bewildered that he just didn't get it.

"Are you stupid?" Piper asked bluntly and he flinched again, lowering his eyes and twisting his fingers anxiously.

"No but-"

"We aren't friends, you and Angelo proved that the day it was discovered I am a girl." Piper said coldly and Salazar's head shot up.

"But I couldn't go against Pan!" Salazar said anxiously, his voice going a little high.

"Exactly, a true friend wouldn't have cared about that. A true friend would have sided with me." Piper refused to pause and ponder what she is saying to a boy that is eight years old.

"But Piper! You have no clue what Pan has done for me! If he hadn't brought me to this island, I'd probably be dead now. This is my home and Pan is my leader, I couldn't betray that." Salazar said stoutly, clenching his fists at his sides.

"That doesn't matter." Piper rumbled, reflexively dropping the timber of her voice so that it was a low growl.

"Yes, it does. I follow Pan by choice but you know what? I am also your friend by choice and if you can't see that because you are too stubborn, then forget it!" Salazar cried angrily before whirling around and taking off into the forest.

"Salazar!" Angelo shouted, dropping a plate into the bucket and getting up, glaring angrily at her. "Seriously? The kid adores you and that is how you treat him? The three of us were supposed to be friends and don't even try to pretend that you didn't always know that our allegiance has always been to Pan first and you second." Angelo told her furiously. "You know what? Obviously you don't care so I don't know why I am even bothering. Salazar!" Angelo scooped up his two daggers and a crossbow, racing into the forest after Salazar.

A little shamed by his words, Piper hesitated before growling under her breath and jogging after him, shaking her head and muttering lowly.

Piper easily caught up with Angelo, who angrily ignored her, shouting for Salazar. She glanced around, unable to find a trail that Salazar might have taken.

There are many things Piper is good at but finding a trail isn't one of them.

They continued searching for Salazar, Piper adding her voice to Angelo's calls.

"Salazar!" Piper shouted, wincing at the strain it puts on her voice. "Salazar, come on out! I didn't mean it!" Piper called, scanning the woods lining the path.

"Salazar! Come out, buddy!" Angelo's voice was steadily getting softer. Piper glanced over at him before sighing and placing her fingers at her mouth, letting out a piercing whistle. "Ouch!" Angelo clutched his ears, wincing.

An apology reflexively rose to Piper's lips but she reflexively swallowed it. Apologies aren't really her thing.

Fiercemoon trotted out of the woods a moment later, a gentle meow escaping her. Piper dropped her shoulder down and Fiercemoon jumped up, nuzzling Piper's cheek.

"We lost Salazar; can you help us find him?" Piper asked the feral cat. Fiercemoon nodded and leapt down, lengthening her strides down the path before veering sharply into the woods. Piper and Angelo exchanged worried looks, following after the small cat.

Angelo pushed through the trees, brushing and swatting at low hanging vines that dangled down. Piper followed closely behind him, a little bit of dread forming in her chest at the area they are heading to. Salazar is headed right towards the tribe's main camp. A new urgency in her steps, Piper brushed past Angelo, breaking free of the trees.

Salazar hadn't noticed her yet and was wandering forward, his head down and his hands in his pockets. Piper's eyes widened. He was only about five steps from the bubble.

"Salazar!" Piper called, hurrying forward as Angelo broke free of the trees. Salazar whirled around, wiping at his face but not before Piper saw the tear tracks. A small pang of guilt hit her and Piper paused, letting Angelo pass her.

"Salazar! There you are!" Angelo hurried forward, yanking the smaller boy forward into a hug. Piper glanced away, searching for any of the tribe that might be lingering. She doesn't want them to be attacked because then she would have to fight back.

"Sorry Angelo, I just wanted to get away for a little bit." Salazar muttered, pulling back. Piper tensed, walking closer.

"Salazar, you shouldn't have run off like that." Piper said, moving subtly around him. Salazar turned with her, frowning.

"Then you shouldn't have yelled at me like that." He retorted, anger and hurt flashing through his eyes.

"I quite agree." Piper tensed when she heard Pan's voice behind her. Shit and double shit. "Why _did_ you yell at the poor young lad?" Pan asked mockingly. Piper glanced over at him, narrowing her dark eyes at him.

"I don't answer to you." Piper answered, looking past him. Felix shifted but Piper didn't look at him. Instead, she shifted forward, moving Salazar away from the bubble. She didn't know how the bubble worked and with Pan so close, she couldn't risk something happening to make him find it.

"As long as you are on my island, you answer to me." Pan answered, his silky voice hardening. Piper stiffened but refused to answer.

"You ready to go back?" Piper asked Salazar and he hesitated, looking at Pan and waiting until he got his nod. Piper felt the sting of that but refused to let it get to her.

"Sure." He said, moving forward and away from the bubble. Piper nodded, reaching up and scratching at her cheek, some more dried mud flaking off.

Pan narrowed his eyes, a devious idea stirring in his mind.

"Felix, take my two wayward Lost Boys back to camp." Pan ordered before raising his fingers and snapping them. Piper started forward but didn't even manage one step before deep green smoke swirled around her, lifting her feet off the ground. There was a dizzying swirl of air around her for what seemed like a few minutes but was just seconds, the tingle of pure magic saturating the air around her and then…she landed with a splash.

Piper flailed in the ice cold water, a startled shout escaping her.

"Feels good, doesn't it?" Piper whirled around to see Pan levitating in the air, his arms crossed and a far too charming mischievous smirk on his face.

"Get me out of here!" Piper shouted angrily, treading the water.

"Why should I? I want to know what lies under the layers of mud." Pan said casually, his feet lifting until he was literally laying in the air. Piper narrowed her dark eyes, a snarl twisting on her lips.

"Too bad. Get. Me. Out." She snapped and Pan flipped over, ignoring her completely. Piper gave a short, frustrated scream, slapping the water before twisting around, searching for the edge of the lake. Except…it was way, way, _way_ far out. "Pan!" Piper snapped again and he turned, looking mockingly surprised to see her with mud still on her face.

"Look at that dirty face! You should probably take care of that." Pan said, a smirk on his pink lips. Piper glared angrily at him, clenching her jaw. Her legs were beginning to get tired and Piper knew she couldn't tread for much longer.

"Fine. Just take me where my feet touch the bottom." Piper demanded and Pan laughed, shaking his head and floating closer.

"You don't give me orders." He said snarkily and Piper sighed, rolling her eyes.

"Take me somewhere my feet touch the bottom… _please_?" The sugary venom in her voice seemed to please Pan and he grinned, snapping his fingers again. The green smoke sprung to life around Piper, ripping her from the water for a few seconds before depositing her in more water with a loud splash.

Piper sputtered, mud running into her eyes.

Scrubbing at it, she dunked her face, the water turning dark before clearing magically. Piper raised her head, glancing around.

Pan had dropped her in a smaller lake beside a roaring waterfall. He was lounging on a pile of large, flat rocks that were teepees with one large flat rock on the top. Pan cocked a bronze eyebrow, sitting up and letting his legs swing over the side of the flat rock.

"Is there a problem?" Pan asked snarkily and Piper's guard instantly sprung up.

"Of course not." She snapped at him before glancing pointedly down at her soaked clothing and back at him. "Turn around." She demanded and he grinned again, turning around. Why did he have to be so damn attractive?

Piper hastily cleared her mind, pulling the large knit black sweater off and flinging it on the ground. It was quickly followed by her cargo pants, boots and long-sleeved shirt with her daggers carefully wrapped inside of it with the stick for Dolly.

Piper was left clad only in her black sports bra and plan black underwear.

"Finished!" Piper called and then ducked her head under the water before he could turn around. Her heart was beginning to speed up, which was ridiculous. It isn't like she is some blushing virgin or anything.

Piper ducked down, kicking her feet and swimming to the bottom of the lake, grabbing a handful of sand and swimming back up. Using it before it seeped from her hand, Piper scrubbed at her skin, the mud sloughing away and leaving her copper skin gleaming.

She glanced around but Pan still had his back to her.

"Done now?" Pan asked lazily and she was briefly tempted with the thought of sneaking out of the water and knocking him out with a rock before common sense came back to her. He would be able to hear the moment she left the water. Besides, knowing how devious he could be, he probably had some magical way of telling when someone had malicious and/or deadly intentions towards him.

"Yes." Piper answered and he turned, raising an eyebrow. "What?" Piper asked defensively, fighting the urge to cross her arms over her chest (that would only show him how uncomfortable he was making her and Piper wasn't in the right frame of mind to accept that minor loss with dignity) and he smirked but didn't answer.

He is _far_ too in love with his little mind games, Piper couldn't help but think. Staring at him, she cocked her head to the side, luxuriating in the feel of the water gliding over her skin.

What is he going to do now?

* * *

Thank you so much to any new followers/favers and reviewers!

BluemoonMusicGirl - Thank you so much for your kind words! I love that you love how I am doing Pan but honestly, I am doing my best to keep him in character with him on the show. I also love that you are a fan of Piper's. Thanks again for reviewing!

3CHOS - Thank you for saying that, I do my best to make sure the words and scenes flow together in a way that just fits.

The Striking Storms - Awww, I can't belive this is your #1 story right now, I hope you like this chapter!

BookRain - Hey, thank so much for your review. I agree, Pan is cruel for wanting to get rid of the tribe but hey, he isn't exactly a 'hero'. I am glad you are rooting for Piper. At the moment, there isn't a reason Piper's timeline is set in 1976 but that might change. Thanks for your review!

GiraffePanda2 - Wow, that was a lot of caps and I love it! I can tell you genuinely like my story so thank you so much!

Elle - Thank you and I also love the contrast between Piper and Dolly, it's part of what makes them so awesome!


	12. Chapter Twelve: A new plan

I own nothing except my characters.

A/N: First, I would just like to apologize for the long wait for this chapter. As you know, school has been let out and summer break is here! Yay but...that means I'm extra busy training horses and looking for a job. I will do my best to keep up with these chapters but for future warning, there is a chance you won't get a chapter every week and I am apologizing for that in advanced: I am so sorry! Now, I hope you like this chapter!

 _ **Chapter Twelve: A new plan**_

* * *

 ** _~Unbowed-and-Unbroken~_**

"What are you staring at me for?" Piper snapped, her dark eyes flashing angrily at Pan. He smirked, his dark green eyes trailing slowly over her, a contemplating expression on his face.

"You said you would do anything for Dolly, correct?" He asked, cocking his head to the side, some of his bronze hair slipping in front of his eyes. Piper cursed the adorable sight silently, narrowing her eyes at the insufferable prick.

"Yeah, and we agreed I would find the savages so you could mercilessly slaughter all of them. What's your point?" Piper asked icily, her chin raising stubbornly at him.

"My point-" He began and then paused, snapping his fingers, green mist enveloping him. He reappeared right in front of her, completely in control of the mist travelling, cementing her thought that he was dropping her into the water on purpose. Her second thought was...she was no longer clothed in just a bra and underwear...she was suddenly completely naked. "-is that my plans may change." He finished before flashing her a wicked grin and ducking under the water, raking his fingers through his hair, his shirt suddenly gone and baring lean muscles that rippled when he stretched back up to his full height.

He really was too close, a part of Piper whispered. That part was drowned out by her more immediate urge to take advantage of their unclothed state. A drop of clear water slowly snaked down his neck, trailing down his throat before sliding into the hollow of Pan's throat before spilling down his chest and back into the water.

Piper cocked her head to the side, a slow, devious smirk curling on her full lips, lighting up her dark eyes and making her look like an angel hiding the true devil within.

"You mean-" Piper slid a little closer, feeling heat emanate off of him, making slow heat slide through her. "You mean you want us-" Her 's' was drawn out the slightest bit. "To become-" Piper flicked her dark eyes up at him from under her long, curling copper lashes, darkened by the water, a small crystal drop of water clinging to her eyelash. "-closer during my…stay on this island?" Piper purred huskily, cocking her head to the side, her dark curls slicked against her head.

She was completely naked, inches from his bare chest, yet she felt no shame.

Her skin gleamed copper, the slight shimmer of water softening her wild beauty. Her shoulders were held proudly back, her breasts covered by nothing. She felt a flash of feminine pride when his eyes flicked down to her chest and his eyes darkened, hunger flickering in the depths. A soft smirk curled on her mouth and she slid closer, lifting on arm out of the water and draping it over his lean, muscled shoulder. Water slid down her arm, caressing her skin down her shoulder, sliding over her breasts enticingly.

Piper swam a little closer, fully pressing her body against his. Pan still had his pants on but by now, he was so aroused, she could feel the length of him pressed against her with no problem.

"You want me to be yours. To welcome you into my arms, bed and body until you are pleased?" Piper paused, their breathing heavy. Her skin was hot and slick against his. Almost against her will, she was enjoying this. She almost wondered if he was using magic on her but she knew it was just her. She couldn't lie to herself like that. In her life, there was no such thing as an easy way out. "You want me to please you until you are spent?" Piper purred, feeling heat begin to course through her. She lifted her other hand and slowly raised it, sliding it between them and pressing her palm flat against his chest, fighting to ignore the heat of his skin and the feeling of his muscles flexing under her palm. "Do you truly believe yourself to be that irresistible?" Piper asked, sliding her lips lightly over his neck, her tongue darting out and swiping at his skin, tasting the salt.

His hands shot up and Pan gripped her supple hips in his palms, the heat of them burning in her. She gasped and arched into his chest, lightly panting. Pan grinned darkly, lowering his head, his dark bronze hair curling a little on the ends as it began to dry.

"I _know_ I am." Pan growled huskily, pulling her even tighter against his chest. Piper felt a small thrill shoot through her and a dark smile curl on her lips. She hummed lightly and stretched up, her skin sliding against his in a way that made him hiss and grip her hips tighter, making Piper grip the back of her neck, her nails lightly biting into his skin just as she nipped over his pulse point with her gleaming white teeth.

"You have my friend in a cage on this island…you aren't _that_ attractive to me." Piper said normally into his ear and then used her hand on his chest to push back and away from him. To feed her ever-growing ego, Piper saw the shock in his eyes for a split second before anger hid it and she knew she had actually caught him off guard.

A small, pleased smile curled on her lips and she cocked her head to the side, fluttering her lashes teasingly.

"What's the matter, Pan?" Piper asked mockingly. "Never had a woman who played your games so gracefully and willingly before?" Piper grinned, arching her back and lowering herself into the water, letting her head dip back into the water.

"I haven't-" Pan appeared at her side, his muscled arm sliding under her back, lifting her out of the water and pulling her tightly against him. Piper stiffened and met his dark green eyes challengingly, her hands pressed against his chest to keep her distance. "-but now that I've had a taste of what it's like, I plan on enjoying it." Pan purred darkly before disappearing. Piper fell into the water with a splash and a yelp.

"What the fuck?" She snarled, despite a part of her knowing that she _may_ have deserved that _just a little_.

"Get dressed, Piper. You have some savages to find." Pan called, fully dressed and dry, levitating over the large pond, stealing one last look of her before he disappeared in a cloud of dark green smoke.

"Well, fuck you too." Piper muttered, shrugging and dunking her head back under the water, enjoying her first bath in what seems like centuries.

 _ **~Unbowed-and-Unbroken~**_

Fully dressed, Piper walked through the forest, dark eyes scanning the woods around her.

Trust Pan to dump her in a waterfall pond in the middle of nowhere and then just leave her. It seemed he was the typical male: he needed to be told what to do before he stormed off in a righteous anger. She rolled her eyes at the thought, ducking under a branch and then straightening.

The incident in the pond was lurking at the back of her mind.

That hadn't been planned…well, not at first anyway. Piper had just seen an opportunity to gain the upper hand and she took it. Pan was going to be pissed at her but she knew he would channel that into winning this little 'game' Piper has started. She could see it in him, that drive to play a game to prove that he is the best.

Piper shrugged off her thoughts, perking up when she saw Fiercemoon trotting out of the dark, tangled woods, a pleased look on her tiny cat face.

"What's got you so pleased?" Piper muttered, dropping her shoulder down so Fiercemoon could hop up to her spot. Fiercemoon purred loudly, batting her tiny silver-dipped paws on Piper's cheek. Despite herself, Piper laughed, the sound light and husky from underuse. "Yeah, yeah." Piper said lightly, still not quite a used to hearing her new, throaty but entirely feminine voice.

"Mrow." Fiercemoon purred, the first catlike sound Piper has heard from her. Piper arched a dark eyebrow, watching as Fiercemoon leapt down from her shoulder and trotted to the woods, stopping and looking back commanding at Piper.

"Oh, so that's how this relationship works now, is it? You lead and I follow?" Piper teased and she could swear that Fiercemoon rolled her silver eyes. "Okay, shutting up now." Piper muttered, grinning when Fiercemoon glanced back, a visible look of playful relief in her silver eyes. Laughing lightly, Piper was briefly startled by the sound, having forgotten how her laugh sounded like. It was light and husky, cheerful and rough all at once.

There was something infectious about it.

Piper could remember the days when her, Dolly and Cortez could descend into giggle fests they would feverently deny had anyone ever seen them and confronted them about it. They could laugh for hours but still find something more to laugh at. Tears sliding down their faces (one part happiness, two parts hopeless, hysterical sadness), stomachs aching, breath wheezing out of them, doubled over with the force...they almost seemed like they were drunk but it was the type of environment around them. If they didn't laugh, then they would cry. If they cried, then they fell and all three of them are far too stubborn to allow that to happen to themselves.

"Wh-Piper!" The unmistakable sound of Dolly's voice was like a warm hug, enveloping Piper the moment she stepped into the clearing, leaving her blind to everything around her except the tiny strawberry blonde...suspended...in...the...air...in a...bamboo...cage. Piper snapped her jaw shut and shook her head, trotting over to the tree and swiftly climbing up, swinging herself over and under a few branches until she reached the one holding Dolly's cage in the air.

"Hold on tight, Dolls." Piper called, pulling out her special knife, a part of her captivated by the sight of the silver butterflies on it before she shook it off, starting to saw at the thick, rope-like vine wrapped several times around the large branch.

"Wait!" Dolly shouted, her voice a little loud.

"What?" Piper snapped, cocking her head to the side and listening for any approaching footsteps. Not that she'd hear Pan if he decided to smoke in and confront them. Piper scowled at the thought. Stupid Pan with his stupid cheating smoke...

"Couldn't you bust the lock open and help me into the tree?" Dolly asked, peering at Piper from between her closely placed bamboo bars. Piper hesitated and shrugged, wrapping her arms and legs around the branch, sliding until she was hanging upside down like a large monkey. Placing her hands one after another, Piper pushed with her legs, wiggling along the branch until she was close enough to the cage that she could let go of the branch with her arms, her body swinging down and held to the branch only by the strength in her legs.

Reaching as close as possible, Piper ignored the suddenly dizzying rush of all of her blood flooding to her brain and lodged the tip of the dagger into the lock, wiggling it around and hearing a sharp _click!_ a few seconds later.

"Score!" Piper exclaimed, a braggy grin crossing her face. Her gleaming white teeth shone against her copper skin and Dolly paused for a moment, a shiver going through her until she shoved it away, gratefully accepting Piper's arms and carefully stepping out of the bamboo, clamping her mouth shut to hold the scream in. They were fairly high off of the ground and Piper was just dangling there, fully supporting both of their body weights like it was absolutely nothing.

"Um-" Dolly's voice cracked and she swallowed deeply, dizzying fear swirling through her veins and making her head spin. "I-" Piper may not be afraid of heights but _boy_ is Dolly.

"Relax, Dolls." Piper said soothingly, her muscles beginning to burn but she refused to show any evidence of that to her smaller friend. "Just climb up my body. If it helps, you can pretend this is the trellis outside of that awful group home we broke out of with Cortez. You remember that one?" Piper asked, doing her best to distract Dolly from her fear. As she watched, the terror slowly faded out of baby blue eyes, replaced by a fond and slightly mischievous gleam.

"Yeah." Dolly slowly began to climb, remembering how Piper and Cortez had supported her then and will do even now, despite the fact that Cortez isn't with them. That reminded her. "Oh! Cortez wanted me to tell you off for stealing his sweater. He claims he knows you had your eye on it from the moment he stole it from that fancy home and he plans on getting revenge. He might steal your thong." Dolly teased, the racing fear slowing in her veins now that she has something productive to focus on. Hand over hand, tease Piper, hand over hand. She's got this.

"Is that so?" Amusement hummed in Piper's voice and a sharp little grin crossed her face. "When we get back, I plan on burning that thong." Piper informed the blonde matter-of-factly, causing her to squeak and whip her head down, blue eyes wide.

"There _is_ a thong? I thought he was just joking!" Dolly exclaimed, her voice going higher. She didn't even notice she was looking in the general direction of the ground and she wasn't freaking out about it. The grin lingered on Piper's face and she laughed a little, the sound relaxing Dolly even more even as she began to climb again, getting closer to the branch.

"Of course there is no thong. You know how Cor and I are." Piper said calmly.

Dolly does know how they are.

Cortez and Piper have the oddest relationship. They flirt and joke around like they have major crushes on each other but Dolly knows for a fact that they don't. Not yet anyone and potentially not ever. It's like the two of them can't bring themselves to be really deep with each other because they are afraid if they are, they could find someone that they would love deeply. Both of them are a bit relationship challenged and both seem to have this aversion to love and emotions.

Dolly sometimes worries for Piper, wondering how the other girl could ever find love and happiness if she refuses to look for both.

Still, as Piper helps Dolly out of the tree, the other girl knows she doesn't have to worry so much. Piper is awesome and it's only a matter of time before some lucky guy snatches her up and away from the rest of the world.

* * *

Thank you so much to any and all of my followers, favorites and reviews!

zuleika126 - Thank you so much!

ABANDON3D PAG3 - Hey, no worries, I'm happy you reviewed for this chapter!

EleanorWhite27 - HA, I love it when my readers are just waiting for the next chapter to come out!

HopeAndHeartache - Aw, thank you so much!

The Wild Striking Storms - Yay, #1! And yes, Piper is in a boatload of trouble! Even more so after this chapter!

GiraffePanda2 - First, I love your username! Dolly told Pan...you'll have to wait and see, sorry! I'm glad you liked him dumping her in the lake, it seemed like the mischievous but meant to get under the skin type of move Pan would make. And thank you for reviewing!

BookRain - Thank you so much but all I am doing is trying to keep Pan as close to cannon as possible with a few twists because who doesn't like those? I do think Piper will fall for Pan but the thing about them is they are both so headstrong, arrogant and stubborn that neither of them are going to admit it to themselves or others very easily. As for tricks and tricking...just wait and see! I love it when one of my stories is someones's #1 and all of you have been so kind to tell me when this story is. It seriously makes my day so thank you for that!


	13. Chapter Thirteen: Together Again

I own nothing except my characters.

 _ **Chapter Thirteen: Together Again**_

* * *

 ** _~Unbowed-and-Unbroken~_**

Finally together, Piper and Dolly walk through the forest, clearing their tracks off anything that could give them away, staying close beside each other.

"How's Cortez doing? Was the dog bite bad?" Piper asked, hiding her anxiety behind a careless facade that did little to fool her friend.

"He is okay but there will be a scar on the back of his leg." Dolly said, glad to have solid ground underfoot once again. Piper stayed silent but worry tightened her features until she was stone cold and closed off again. She refused to acknowledge worry because right now, Dolly must come first. Piper glanced to the side, dark eyes burning with anger at her situation, her jaw tightening until it began to ache with the force.

"I can't believe he was so stupid and didn't check for dogs." Piper muttered and Dolly glanced over at her, a small smile on her face.

"Well, he was so frantic after you were kidnapped that he wasn't thinking clearly." Dolly said, a small hint in her voice. Piper glanced over at her and shook her head, rolling her dark eyes at the younger girl. Dolly grinned, walking closer to Piper and bumping their shoulders together. Piper ducked her head down, shorn half curls tumbling around her face, gilded in crimson red and brilliant gold, giving her copper hair a beautiful look.

Dolly was slightly envious of Piper, who was (most of the time) clueless and uncaring about her exotic looks.

"Wait." Piper froze, her arm rising and crossing in front of Dolly's chest, keeping her from moving forward.

Piper cocked her head to the side, all of her focus trained in front of her, body tensed up and her white teeth glinting threateningly in the sunlight. Piper really did look stunningly dangerous with her copper skin, gleaming white teeth, tall, slender build, wild curls and dark, dangerous eyes. She slipped her hand down her boot, pulling out an island dagger, thumbing at the tip to make sure it was still sharp, her every sense on high alert.

"What is it?" Dolly whispered.

"Shh!" Piper hissed sharply, her dark eyes narrowing while she stared into the heart of the forest. She didn't know why she was so edgy, whether it was Pan or something else entirely but Piper wasn't about to relax for anything until she felt the danger had passed.

Dolly fell still, trusting Piper to know what was going on and to keep her safe.

After a few tense, strained moments, Piper straightened, feeling the danger pass. Piper took a step towards where the dangerous feeling had come from but was drawn to a halt when Dolly grabbed her arm and shook her head pleadingly.

"Can we please go?" Dolly whispered and Piper hesitated, glancing back at the forest from under her curling lashes before her shoulders visibly slumped, then straightened and she nodded. Striding briskly past the short blonde, Piper led the way down the path until they reached a place with no visible place to live.

"Follow me." Piper ordered quietly, moving towards a tree and leaping at it, catching a branch and swinging herself up. Sliding and twisting, Piper nimbly moved up the tree around the twisted branches, not having a problem. Dolly, on the other hand, is not nearly as flexible as Piper so she trips and flinches over branches, small welts on her arms from where she scratched herself on the branches.

Piper glanced back, feeling a pang of guilt for not helping Dolly up the tree.

See, the thing about Piper is: she doesn't have many physical failings, crossbow aside. Piper's problems lie with the non-physical issues. She has problems trusting people, she's too guarded, she prickly, snarky, sarcastic, defensive, doesn't connect well with people and has a major problem with manipulation, violence and having the need to always be in control. Piper also has problems with empathy or being able to place herself in other people's shoes. If another person doesn't manage to keep up with Piper, they are almost instantly dismissed in her mind as pathetic and weak.

She can't help thinking and feeling that way though, it was all started by her living on the streets, alone. There, she learned if you weren't strong then you were dead.

Honestly, it's a miracle that Piper ever managed to connected with Dolly. Cortez, she had no problem with because he was strong, violent and had no issues with manipulation. Her and Cortez are two sides of the same coin. Dolly was the odd one out. With those big blue eyes, bright hopes and an attitude that refused to be drowned, Dolly was the bright star to their dark shadows.

The angel to their dark guardian.

If it wasn't for that quiet inner core of strength that Dolly displays at times, Piper would have written her off and abandoned Dolly ages ago, refusing to listen to her heart. That's the thing. With Piper, nine times out of ten she will put her safety above her heart and at times, it scares her but then she ignores it and continues on.

Without Dolly, Piper has a strong feeling that she would have abandoned feelings a long time ago and that is one reason why she clings so fiercely to Dolly. In her mind, Dolly is the brilliant symbol of what is left of Piper's innocence. A hidden part of Piper is terrified that if she loses Dolly, then she will lose herself completely to the darkness within her.

"Here, let me help." Piper said quietly, swinging down and offering Dolly her hand. Dolly didn't hesitate to smile brightly and take Piper's hand, willingly following the taller girl through the branches. They moved slowly higher, Piper helping Dolly whenever she needed it and then a thought struck her.

If her and Cortez are different sides of the same violent coin then her and Dolly are different sides to a different coin. Piper is strong in body but weak in the matters of the heart while Dolly finds her strength from her heart instead of her body.

It gave Piper a bit of hope to think that her and Dolly weren't so different as the blonde might think.

"Here we are." Piper mummered, pushing a few leafy branches out of the way to reveal a large, comfortable looking hammock woven out of the thick but soft vines and padded with the thick, rubbery leaves of the bushes on the ground. Above the hammock were a few branches cleverly moved to hang over the hammock and provide shade, a stack of berries and bandages to the side.

"Wow..." Dolly breathed, stepping across the small platform that Piper had built over the branches and under the hammock, having guessed that Dolly wouldn't do so good on balancing herself so high in the trees. "This is amazing!" Dolly exclaimed, looking around. "Can I have some berries?" She asked and Piper nodded, smiling at her friend and sitting down, leaning back against the trunk of the tree.

"Sure but eat slowly, you don't want to be sick." Piper quietly reminded Dolly, holding back a shudder when she remembered all of the times she had been starving, found some food, scarfed it down and promptly puked it up because her body wasn't used to the sudden influx of food. That was never pleasant and the first time it happened to her, Piper had cried until she puked again. Her whole throat had been raw after that and she couldn't eat even though she desperately wanted to.

"I'll be careful." Dolly promised, breaking Piper out the darker turn her thoughts had taken.

Dolly began to eat the berries, hunger in her blue eyes even as she moved slowly, popping one in her mouth at a time, savoring the taste.

Safe up in the tree, Piper relaxed and watched Dolly with a fond gleam in her eyes, a soft smile on her mouth. She loves the younger girl and Piper has no doubt that Dolly loves her too. Cortez...Piper changed the direction of her thoughts a little hastily.

"You know I'm going to need to take you back to the cage, don't you?" Piper asked Dolly softly, twirling the dagger in her hands. The silver flames rippled over the dagger, making the butterflies look like they were moving. Piper stared down at the metal, warmth softly brushing against her hands. It was a featherlight touch and Piper looked up, startled. Dolly had slowed in her eating but she hadn't moved, studiously looking away from Piper in an effort to not face the question so Piper knew it hadn't been her. Fiercemoon wasn't around so it wasn't her.

Piper glanced down at the dagger, gently sliding her fingers over the blade and then firmly gripping the handle.

Brilliant heat flared up in her palm, searing against her skin and reaching bone-deep. With a loud yelp, Piper dropped the blade, dark eyes wide with shock. What...how...

"Piper? Are you okay?" Dolly asked, a note of panic in her voice and wide blue eyes.

"Huh?" Piper asked, tearing her gaze away from the dagger. "Yeah, I'm fine." Piper muttered, her heart attempting to bludgeon its way out of her chest and giving lie to her words. Slowly reaching down, Piper picked up the dagger, tensing up and prepared to fling it away.

...but nothing happened.

The dagger rested innocently in her fingers, glinting prettily under the sunlight. It drew Piper in with how shiny it was but she blinked and shook her head, shoving the dagger into the sheath in her boot and rising to her feet, stretching out her arms in a show of nonchalance.

"After you rest here, I can take you back. Okay?" Piper asked Dolly, a little rattled at what just happened.

"Sure." Dolly said quietly, her face dropping a little. Piper hesitated before walking over to Dolly, her steps light and soundness on the platform.

"Come on." Piper held out her hand and Dolly paused before gripping it and allowing Piper to pull her to her feet. Piper led Dolly over to the hammock and sat on it, tugging her down beside her. After a few tense moments, Dolly relaxed into her side and they curled up together like they do on the streets.

Dolly falls to sleep easily but one lingering, stubborn thought refuses to be shaken away and it keeps Piper awake.

She finally admits it to herself and oddly enough, it makes her feel sad.

... _Cortez is normally there to guard them and watch their backs...and now he isn't and it is throwing her off..._

* * *

A/N: Thank you to all of my favorites, follows and reviews!

BookRain - Don't worry, I may be a bit late in updating at times but I wouldn't drop the story. I think that would create a mob of people out to get me and I don't want that!


	14. Chapter Fourteen: The Spy

I own nothing except my characters.

 _ **So...yeah...I took a long time to update...I want to give a shout out to BookRain for letting me know it was going on a month since I last updated. Time just flies by and I have what feels like a million other stories to write for and update so sometimes I forget about one or two and I know it isn't fair to my readers so I apologize! I hope you all enjoy this next chapter!**_

 _ **Chapter Fourteen: The Spy...and the Indian...**_

* * *

 ** _~Unbowed-and-Unbroken~_**

Piper sighed, padding silently through the path that leads away from where Dolly is being kept in the cage.

Should…should she feel a bit better about finding her friend? But no. This is about a week (as far as she can tell) since she first found Dolly and it was a week before that to begin with and Piper has gotten no closer to finding a way off this damn island.

Narrowing her dark eyes, Piper slid closer to the trees, her sharp ears picking up the sound of rustling leaves. There is no wind, so the fact that the leaves are even moving means someone or something is lingering in the woods around her. Danger makes the hair on the back of her neck prickle in warning and Piper stiffened but forced herself to continue on with her lazy prowl.

Lowering her head, she pulled a piece of twine from one of the trees around her, nimble fingers twisting it into a loop…

Quick as a striking serpent, Piper lunged for the woods around her. She made contact with cloth and then skin, even as a startled squeak sounded. Furious fear clouded through her and Piper had the loop hooked over the person's neck and her special dagger unsheathed, warming up with quick, startling familiarity in her palm.

Ignoring that for the moment, Piper bared her teeth and jerked on the twine, making whoever it was stumble backwards against her.

Lowering her head to their ear, Piper hissed in their ear to be silent.

"P-please! Don't hurt me! It's me! S-smith!" Piper froze before a snarl of pure rage burst out of her. Spinning him around, she roughly shoved the young boy against a tree, harshly digging her knee into his gut. He doubled over with a strained yelp, dragging in rough breath as he tried to get more oxygen into his lungs.

"What the fuck are you following me for?" Piper snarled, yanking him upright and glaring at him with fierce, dark eyes. Her slim fingers tightened on the noose when he didn't answer her and Smith started choking again, clawing at the twine as his face began to turn red and tears gleamed in his eyes but did not fall.

After a moment, Piper relaxed her grip, watching him with cold eyes and a fierce scowl.

"S-s-stop!" Smith choked out before coughing explosively, his thin form wracked with body shaking coughs.

"Why were you following me?" Piper refused to allow any guilt or sympathy to cloud her brain. She needs to find out how much he knows and _now._

"I-I just wanted to see what you were doing!" Smith cried out, his eyes wide with fear and pain. Piper narrowed her eyes at him, flipping her dagger around so she was holding on to the hilt, prepared to hit him over the head with it.

"Why?!" Piper snapped and he flinched, bringing his hands up to protect himself.

"I- you never tell us where you are going! I was curious!" Smith's voice shook and Piper bared her teeth angrily. Now comes the most important question.

"What did you see?"

"Nothing! I swear!"

"Liar!" Piper tightened her grip on the twine again, shaking him like he weighed nothing. "What did you see?" She snarled loudly and Smith started crying, mumbling and shaking his head in desperation. "What. Did. You. See?" Piper snapped dangerously, her anger rising the longer it took to get an honest answer out of him.

"I saw nothing! You lost me when you doubled back a while ago! The only reason I found you was because I took the wrong turn somewhere! I was just about to turn back when I saw you on the path and started following you again. Please, I promise, I'm telling the truth!" Terror shone in his eyes and Piper narrowed her own, searching him for any sign of a lie.

…he was telling the truth.

Piper paused before releasing him, sheathing her dagger and wrapping the twine around her knuckles, staring down at him darkly.

"Follow me again and not even the feral cats will be able to find your body." Piper growled. "Understood?" Smith nodded frantically, massaging his throat with relief in his eyes.

"I promise I won't!" Smith swore and Piper nodded curtly, turning away from him without another look back.

"See that you don't." Piper threatened and melted away into the trees without a sound, leaving the terrified boy trembling on the forest floor behind her.

 ** _~Unbowed-and-Unbroken~_**

"Pierce! You're back!" Salazar came bouncing forward, dark green eyes gleaming with excitement. "You'll never guess what Angelo and I found while we were on patrol! …We found a group of savages!" Salazar chattered, not pausing to take a breath.

"Is that so?" Piper asked, soft amusement coloring her tone and he flushed, bouncing at her side as she moved over to the fire, nodding at Angelo and sinking down onto a log.

"Yeah! _And_ I got one! I tripped him as he was running away and Pan said I did a good job! Can you believe it? He actually called me by my name!" Salazar exclaimed before sighing with pride glowing dreamily in his eyes. "He looked right at me and everything."

"He's been like this since we caught the prisoner." Angelo confided in a low whisper, leaning over to avoid Salazar hearing them.

"I can tell." Piper whispered back, laughter tingeing her words. Angelo smirked with amusement and leaned back, watching their young friend with fondness coloring his gaze. "What is Pan planning on doing with the prisoner?" Piper asked and he shrugged, looking completely unconcerned with the whole thing.

"I don't know and to be honest, I don't care. Hopefully this prisoner will spill his guts and we can finally finish this war with the Indians but I doubt it." Angelo said boredly and Piper hid how she stiffened, muttering some form of acknowledgement before turning her sightless gaze to the fire.

…Indian?

Odd but no one had mentioned that before. How had they gotten onto the island? And how hadn't she noticed it before with their red skin and dark eyes and the way they dressed in buckskin?

Frustration burned in her at overlooking something so vital but Piper can't afford to dwell on that. _Dolly_ can't afford for her to dwell on that. Shaking her head sharply at herself, Piper shifted swiftly to her feet, glancing around the camp for something, _anything_ to do.

"Pierce! Over here!" Smith hurried into the camp, looking flushed with exertion, the tiniest tinge of fear in his eyes as he looked at her.

"What do you want?" Piper asked shortly, a hidden warning in her dark eyes. Smith flinched a little and his eyes widened as he reflexively clutched at his wrist, the one scarred forevermore by her nails.

"I wanted to show you the savage." Smith muttered, glaring at the ground. Is he daft or something? How is it he continues to not get the message that they aren't friends and she doesn't particularly have any desire for that to change?

"Why?" Piper asked bluntly, reflexively dropping her voice into a lower timber better suited to a boy.

"Well…" He hedged, flicking his eyes around nervously.

"Spit it out or bugger off, Smith." Piper snapped and his head shot up as he stared at her.

"One of them recognized your feral cat!" Smith blurted out and she inwardly cursed, gripping his arm tightly and dragging him out of the camp, shooting deadly glares at the boys watching them curiously. "Ow!" He yelped, tripping and stumbling as she roughly 'escorted' him away.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Piper snarled dangerously, invading his person space and dropping her other hand down to where her dagger is hidden in the folds of her sweater.

"Nothing!" Smith yelped, flinching his head away. "I just thought you would want to know!" Smith started trembling and Piper hissed something under her breath, shoving him away from her and pacing in the area.

"What makes you think the savage recognized Fiercemoon?" Piper snapped and he straightened.

"She was in a tree and he looked up, smiled and whistled something at her. Fiercemoon just stared at him before she trotted down, walked up to his cage, crawled in, curled up on his lap and then fell asleep." Piper stiffened and stared at him incredulously.

"Are you sure it was _my_ Fiercemoon?" She asked blankly, the smallest bit of possessiveness swirling in her chest. Sensing she wasn't exactly happy, Smith edged a little back before nodding. "Is she still with the savage?" Piper asked and he shook his head silently, large brown eyes focused on her face.

Pacing around in a large circle, Piper cocked her head to the side, glaring at the ground. What is her feral companion doing with a savage?

"Wh-what are you going to do now?" Smith asked hesitantly and she nearly shrugged before pausing, her gait slowing to a crawl before she stopped moving, frozen as she stared off at nothing, her clever mind racing behind dark eyes.

Nibbling on her lower lip, Piper barely winced at the small flashes of pain, running a hand through her dark curls, briefly startled at the lack of mud before she shook that off.

Maybe…hmmm.

Her fingers twisting and dancing in a few strands of her hair, Piper stared sightlessly at a tree, her mind racing.

If she could get to that savage, maybe she could find a way off of this cursed island. Maybe…maybe this could be her way to get Dolly back home!

Excitement seared through her and Piper whirled around, drawing short. Her hand shot to her dagger but her wrist was gripped sharply by Pan, who smirked down at her with glittering emerald eyes. Pushing her backwards, Pan ducked Piper's swipe at his head and rammed her against a tree, wedging his knee between her legs and yanking her arm above her head, snatching up her other wrist and lifting it up to the other one.

"What in the bloody fuck d'you want?" Piper snarled angrily, her teeth flashing threateningly in the fading light.

"Ah, ah, ah! Speak like the young lady we know you to be, _Piper_." Pan purred and she snapped her jaw shut, narrowing her eyes at him, the fire in them smoldering angrily, to his amusement.

"Fuck. You. In the arse. With. A. Broom." She enunciated each word clearly with a sweetness that was at odds with the choice of words she was spitting out with careful, practiced venom. Pan's eyes widened for a moment and she felt a vicious flash of satisfaction before yelping when he tightened his grip on her wrists with pointed cruelty.

Reminded rather sharply of her vulnerable position, Piper tried to snap her knee up but Pan was prepared and slid closer, trapping her further against the tree. They were both pressed so tightly together, not even the fading light was able to creep between them.

Twisting futilely, Piper snapped her head forward but Pan dodged the attempted head butt.

"Please, do keep trying. I'm having _so_ much fun here." Sardonic amusement dripped from his voice and Piper snarled at him wordlessly, breathing harshly with fierce anger. Their bodies were pressed so tightly she could feel every flex of his body against her own and it was distracting her, which in turn, pissed her off even more.

Heat thrived between them, summoning a sheen of sweat on her gleaming copper skin.

"Keep doing this. I seem to be getting…excited." Pan raised his expressive bronze eyebrows, a dark gleam in his eyes as he ground his hips into hers in a deliberate fashion. Her body arching forward at the unexpected jolt of heat and pleasure, Piper bit back a cry, her eyes turning wild and tumultuous.

Attraction, burning anger, slight curiosity, vicious animosity, something budding on hate and another, unnamed emotion flashed through her dark eyes and Pan cocked his head to the side, the smile fading a bit as he stared at her. It wasn't often he was intrigued by someone so this is capturing nearly all of his attention.

"Smith."

Nearly.

"Leave us."

Oh shit.

* * *

Niikkii95 - Aw, thank you! I'm sure the writers of Peter Pan stories are grateful for that!

Amina212 - Hello! I personally adore reading about strong female main characters so when this idea popped up, held me hostage and refused to let me go...I just had to do it! Thanks for your review and I'm glad you liked the lake scene!

BookRain - First off, I am so sorry for the long wait! I really appreciate you sending me that PM because I hadn't even started on the next chapter until then, so thanks for that swift kick in the rear! It jump started my writing so feel free to do that again if you feel like I'm taking too long in updating! :) Now, I'm glad you picked up on they mysterious feeling in that last chapter. The knife will be special but in order for me to tell you _how,_ I would have to ruin future surprises for you and I can't do that. If Cortez does like Piper as in like-like, Peter is _not_ gonna like it! You are such a loyal reviewer and I really appreciate it. Once again, thank you so much!

zuleika126 - Thank you and sorry for the long wait!


	15. Chapter Fifteen:The Game and the Promise

I own nothing except my characters.

 _ **Chapter Fifteen: The Game and the Promise**_

* * *

 ** _~Unbowed-and-Unbroken~_**

For a moment, everything was paused.

It seemed that even the trees, the bushes; the very _island_ was holding its breath.

Piper glared defiantly at Pan, pinned to the tree with his knee wedged between her own. There was dull pain flaring in her wrists from the pressure he was putting on them and Piper's heart was racing in her chest. Who would have known he could draw such a dizzying whirl of emotions from her?

Certainly not Piper.

"Are you deaf, Smith?" Pan snapped, finally breaking their locked gaze and turning his head to glare threateningly at the frozen boy.

Smith's eyes flicked to Piper, confusion and torn loyalty wavering in him. He didn't know what to do and Piper mentally sighed before doing her best to let him know she didn't need him here. If he was here and stayed and revealed anything about Piper…Dolly's life hung in the balance and panic tore through her.

"Why the fuck are you still here?" Piper snarled and he flinched, looking to Pan again.

"Leave." Pan snapped and Smith jumped, whirling around and tearing off towards the camp. If he returns with Angelo and/or Salazar, Piper's gonna _kill_ him. None of those three need to be here to see any of the new and specific type of manipulation her and Pan have instigated.

Pan stared dangerously into the woods after where his Lost Boy had disappeared, narrowing his emerald eyes and turning his head to glare down at her. His dark lashes were long enough to cast shadows over his eyes, turning the bright color into something darker and more mysterious. Piper held his gaze defiantly, lifting her chin and clenching her jaw.

Slowly, a smirk twitched on Pan's mouth and he leaned closer, tilting his head and moving closer until his head was tilted in the crook of her neck. He just held steady there, not touching her, not sniffing her but just standing there until the tension between them had built to an all new high. Piper didn't know what to do.

She could try and bite him but something gave her the feeling that biting wouldn't exactly be a turn-off for this sadistic jerk.

Piper held still, trying to breathe as little as possible to reduce the amount of contact between their chests. It wasn't really working though because Pan is pressed so close. Slowly, she tilted her head, eyeing him curiously.

Pan's eyes were closed, his lashes a dark, feathery smudge against his pale skin. His pertly tilted nose was nearly touching her skin but it was his mouth that drew her attention. He was so close that if he shifted half an inch closer, his mouth would be brushing against her shoulder. Piper tensed a little more, resisting the urge to try and yank away from him.

Her wrists feel a little raw from the tight grip he has on them, pushing them into the bark of the tree.

His breathing was slow and steady but Piper could sense a riot of emotions swirling through him and it hit her…he was trying to keep control.

Before she could stop it, a small laugh escaped her, the sound low and mocking.

In a flash, his dark green eyes snapped open and Pan tightened his grip on her wrists, forcing her to cry out with pain before baring her teeth angrily at him, dark eyes flashing at him. His throat worked like he was going to yell at her but he didn't open his mouth and he didn't say anything. He just lifted his head and met her gaze boldly, a twisted sneer on his mouth.

"What? Afraid of little ole me?" Piper sneered and Pan jerked his chin up in clear anger and arrogance, leaning impossibly closer, jerking his knee higher against her. A flush of heat went through her, sparking through her veins, a small, fluttery coil in her lower stomach forming.

Piper jerked back but…there was no place for her to jerk back against and Pan just held her tighter. She was starting to breathe a little harder, fierce, sparking anger in her dark eyes and in the curve of her mouth.

"I'm not afraid of you, Piper." Pan purred, cocking his head to the side and slowly shifting his knee against her again. Piper couldn't help the small arch of her body and delight flared in his dark emerald eyes. "What? Feeling good?" Pan mocked and Piper flexed her wrists in his hands, attempting to bring her knee up to hit him but the angle was all wrong and all that accomplished was him pushing their bodies flush, leaving her leg hooked over his waist. "I think I like this position." Pan taunted darkly, shifting his hips against hers.

Piper bit back a moan, her cheeks flushing with heat. Her eyes darkened even more as Pan smirked, leaning his head forward and brushing his mouth against her pulse. The feather-light touch startled her and Piper sank her gleaming white teeth into her lower lip, breathing a little harder. Pan brushed his mouth over her neck again, applying more and more pressure until Piper arched into him, a small pant escaping her.

"Excellently voiced, Piper." Pan purred, pulling his head back and cocking a bronzes eyebrow at her, a corner of his mouth curling up with satisfaction.

"I thought you said you had other people to take care of these needs of yours?" Piper snapped angrily and Pan grinned widely, the sadistic edge resonating with the dark edges of her personality.

"I do." He said and she scowled up at him, hating that he was taller than her and as such, could look down on her.

"Then why are you forcing yourself on me-" She barely finished her words before he surged closer, forcing their hips to move together until he prized her legs apart enough to slide his body between them, releasing her wrists with his hands, a swirling dark green smoke solidifying into solid cuffs around her wrists, securing them to the tree.

"Forcing myself on you?" Pan taunted, a cruel smile on his mouth, dark emerald eyes glinting down at her as he yanked on her other leg, the one that she had all of her weight on, until her knee buckled and she was forced to hook her other leg around her waist. She had to tighten her legs around his waist or have the cuff tear into her skin. "Does this seem like I am _forcing_ myself on you?" Pan asked, snapping his fingers. It took the barest of seconds for Piper to realize her baggy pants were gone, leaving her in nothing more than her underwear and baggy sweatshirt, her shirt and bra thankfully still on under her shirt.

"What the fuck?!" Piper snarled ferociously, yanking harshly on the cuff secured tightly around her wrist. All that did was chafe the already sore skin and it didn't keep Pan from placing his hands on her knees, slowly sliding them down her copper skin, his own skin even paler against her own.

The feeling of his heated palms scraping lightly over her legs made more unwilling heat slide through her veins but Piper refused to give in. Twisting her ankles, Piper yanked him closer, pulling Pan off balance so he was forced to reach out and brace himself against the trunk of the tree, his lightly muscled arms on either side of her head.

Digging her heels harshly into Pan's back, Piper locked their eyes together, the feeling of being helpless swirling into rage so deep and wild that she hardly seemed sane.

"You. Don't. Touch me. Unless. I. Say. Understood?" Piper snapped harshly but he didn't seem to care about her words. Sliding one hand down, Pan tangled his fingers in her wild curls, roughly yanking her head back at an unforgiving angle. Breathing harshly, Piper glared, showing him the fight in her eyes.

"I can touch you when…where…and however I shall choose. Do you know why?" Pan hummed lowly, the sound vibrating deeply in his throat and chest like some sort of purr. "Because until I say otherwise, you. Are. Mine."

"Like hell I am!" Piper spat, wishing she could pull her dagger out of her pants but with her wrists up so high, it was unlikely.

"Can't you see what this is, Piper?" Pan rumbled, cocking his head to the side and watching her with unveiled amusement.

"What, pray tell, _is_ this? You sick, sadistic fuck?" Piper snarled and he threw his head back, laughing deeply. The vibration of his body against hers made Piper involuntarily clench her thighs tighter around his lean waist and Pan's laugh was cut off, the muscles in his arms and chest tightening as his self control was tested.

The play of his muscles tightening under his smooth skin made Piper smirk smugly.

"This…all of this-" Pan began, his voice the tiniest bit strained as he dropped his hands down to her thighs, clenching his hands around them, the burning heat of his palms stroking the heat that seared through her. "It's all just a _game_."

"Who's winning?" Piper challenged, cocking her head to the side, suddenly melting; boneless against the tree she was cuffed to. "Me?" She asked, undulating her hips in a twisting motion that had him clenching his jaw and his hands tightening almost to the point of cruelty. "Or you?" Piper purred, leaning closer and ignoring the strain on her shoulders.

"We will find out." Pan growled, yanking her closer by her thighs. Piper refused to be rattled again though and slowly smiled, the curling of her mouth hinting at a forbidden secret that prompted quick, flashing interest in his darkened emerald eyes that looked more like pools of obsidian lust.

"I guess we will." Piper agreed, opening her mouth and sliding it over his pulse, her sharp white teeth unerringly finding his pulse point and nipping before he was suddenly gone from between her thighs, vanishing in a cloud of emerald smoke and strained, hungry eyes.

Piper hit the ground with a thud, her wrists suddenly freed and her clothes fully on. Her wrists throbbed with the return of the unhindered blood flow and she hissed, lightly rubbing them even as the red marks darkened into bruises.

"I guess I win that round." Piper muttered and grinned sharply, rolling her shoulders in a quick, loose motion that relaxed the strained muscles. "The next move is yours." He wasn't around but Piper didn't doubt that Pan would understand the challenge anyway.

After all, he _was_ the one that started this game. That meant he had to know the rules.

 ** _~Unbowed-and-Unbroken~_**

"Piper!"

"There you are!"

Salazar and Angelo hurried to her from across the clearing, worried expressions banished by the relief of seeing her.

"Are you okay?"

"Smith told us Pan cornered you!"

"Are you in trouble?"

"Did Pan yell at you?"

"What happened?" They both chorused impatiently and Piper suppressed a small smirk of amusement, reaching out to roughly ruffle Salazar's hair while she shrugged carelessly at Angelo. His sharp hazel eyes fixed on the darkening bruises around her wrists and he tightened his lips but didn't say anything.

His loyalty was being tested but like with Smith, his greater loyalty to Pan won out and Angelo didn't comment on the bruises. Piper felt a bitter burst of resentment curl in her chest but she firmly stamped it out and ignored it.

She can't dwell on things that don't matter anymore. Dolly is her priority. Dolly needs to be her priority.

"I'm fine, Pan just wanted to chat." Piper said casually, carefully angling herself so she was slightly behind Angelo as they walked over to the roaring fire to accept their bowls of stew. "I want to know where the prisoner is being kept." Piper said, fixing her dark eyes on the two boys.

Salazar and Angelo exchanged hesitant looks, eyes wide at the sudden demand.

"Why?" Angelo asked slowly and Piper cocked a slender copper eyebrow, a quick, sharp little grin on her mouth.

"I'm not going to hurt your _precious_ Pan." Piper sneered and they both flinched the slightest bit. "I just want to see how he knows my- I want to see how he knows Fiercemoon." Piper said, lowering her voice so no one else could overhear her feral companion's name.

"Oh. Is that all?" Angelo asked warily, Salazar frozen at his side. The boy's dark green eyes were flicking rapidly between the two of them as he bit down on his bronze lip.

"Of course. Why else would I possibly want to see him?" Piper returned calmly, her dark eyes blank of any deception. The only problem was, her eyes were blank of any other emotion as well so Angelo shifted at his seat, shooting a quick glance around the camp until he spotted Felix.

"I think you should talk to Felix about that. I don't really have the authority to say yes or no." Angelo mumbled, hiding his face and using his food as an excuse.

"Oh. Is that the only reason?" Piper mocked and Angelo's face flushed but he refused to look up, choosing instead to shovel food into his mouth and mumble something she couldn't understand. Irritation burst in her chest and Piper shot to her feet, turning and swiftly making her way over to where Felix was sitting at the fire, staring into the flames blankly.

Piper slowed down when she reached him and sat down a few spaces away so she wasn't quite sitting next to him. Pulling her knees up to her chest, Piper curled her arms around her knees and rested her chin on her knees and stared into the fire. The brilliant orange and sparkling red flames shifted and flickered, reaching higher, emanating heat that warmed her.

The colors reflected in her eyes, turning them to liquid flames that swirled with broken promises and lost dreams.

"You want to see the prisoner." Felix stated quietly and Piper shifted her gaze over to him, seeing him watching her back. His icy blue eyes weren't so icy but more…solemn. Like he was on the edge of doing something….he really shouldn't.

Piper didn't hope though. If anyone was ever going to turn away from Pan for her, it wouldn't be Felix. Felix has this overwhelming gratitude and fierce loyalty to Pan that Piper identifies with because...that's exactly how she is with Dolly and Cortez.

She feels this fierce, deep, unwavering loyalty to them because in her eyes, they saved her from what her life _could_ have been. They've stuck by her side since the day they met. They have never wavered or faltered in their friendship of her and in return, Piper, as one of those rare people that feels things _so very deeply_ …she can't help but give her all back in return.

That's how Felix is. He may seem cold an untouchable but there is not a damn thing in all of the universes that could ever possibly tear him from Pan's side. Nothing but the explicit betrayal of Pan himself and even then, there would be that forever lingering flame of loyalty that stubbornly refuses to go out.

"I hear he knows my feral cat." Piper answered back quietly and Felix nodded the slightest bit.

"You can speak with him but only after Pan is done. I'll let you know when." Felix said and Piper nodded, leveling him with a steady gaze.

"Thank you, Felix." Piper said quietly and he nodded at her curtly before they both resumed gazing into the flickering, wavering, steady and strong flames.

 ** _~Unbowed-and-Unbroken~_**

"Two more days." Felix spoke over his shoulder and continued on his way while Piper stared at his back, frustration burning in her chest. He was procrastinating in allowing her to see the prisoner and it is getting on her nerves. Whirling around, Piper drew short when she saw Pan watching her from across the clearing, a group of his Lost Boys around him.

There was a dark look flashing through his eyes and Piper jerked her chin up with defiance automatically. A smirking smile flashed across his mouth and then he just…ignored her. He turned his attention back to the boys eagerly clamoring at him and he didn't look up.

Unsettled, Piper strode across the clearing and across the other side, moving easily through the trees. She knew this path better than she knew any other at this point so it didn't take long for Piper to find Dolly.

"Dolls!" Piper called and Dolly's face appeared between the slats of bamboo.

"Piper! Piper come here, I know where the prisoner is being kept!" Dolly exclaimed and Piper darted forward, nimbly climbing up the tree, using branches to propel herself higher, faster. In moments, Piper had reached the branch Dolly was suspended from and had climbed along it, using her knife to pull open the latch at the top of the cage and drop inside with her friend.

For a dizzying moment, the cage spun and dipped, moving because of the new weight dropped rather abruptly into it.

"Piper!" Dolly yelped fearfully, clutching the sides of her cage. "Why would you do that?" Dolly accused and Piper slowly moved to her feet, crouched low to keep her balance.

"Sorry, Dolls. I wasn't thinking." Piper apologized and Dolly's stream of terrified words was cut off as she stared at Piper, wide-eyed at the rare apology.

"It's fine." Dolly said reflexively and Piper shook her head.

"It's not fine. I should have been more careful." The cage stabilized and Dolly stopped clutching at the sides so frantically. "You okay?" Piper asked, concern flashing through her eyes. Dolly smiled over at her friend, pleased, as always, to see the signs of caring.

"Yeah, it just scared me, that's all." Dolly answered and Piper relaxed. "So anyway, I heard Felix talking to one of the boys about where the captive is. He should be around this area, Pan likes to keep all of his prisoners close but not too close to each other." Dolly said and Piper nodded thoughtfully, mentally tracing all of the paths around here. "This one is facing north, towards the mountain, you know the one with the weird shape?" Dolly asked and Piper grinned.

"I know it. I should be able to find him later today. Dolly, if I can get you off this island, I will. You do know that, right?" Piper asked hesitantly, the rare moment of vulnerability shining through.

"Of course I know that!" Dolly exclaimed, a small shadow crossing her baby blue eyes. "I'm just…I'm just worried you are only thinking about me." Dolly confided and Piper raised her chin a little.

"I _am_ just thinking about you. If I can get off this island with you, all the better but if I can't then you will be going back home without me." Piper shrugged. "That's all there is to it."

"NO!" Dolly exclaimed angrily. "We are supposed to stick together, Piper!"

"I _know_ that!" Piper shouted, frustrated that her friend was being so _obstinate_. She slumped her shoulders, some defeat touching her expression. "I know that, Dolly but if worst comes to worst, you are my only priority." Piper explained softly but fiercely. "I can handle this place. It won't take long for me to have an in here that no one else has. I can survive here if I need to but you…Dolly, I don't _want_ you to learn how to survive in a place like this." Piper explained and Dolly shook her head firmly but Piper wasn't done. "You deserve better than this."

The implication of Piper's words slammed into Dolly all at once.

…Piper doesn't feel like she deserves a good place, one free of any and all manipulation and games. She's been in places like this before, where every day survived is one day closer to losing herself completely.

"You deserve a place better than this too, Piper." Dolly said softly and Piper's shoulders jerked but she didn't look up from her hands.

"One day, maybe I'll believe that." Piper whispered.

They sat there in silence, the both of them lost in their own, deep, lost and lonely thoughts until it was time for Piper to go.

"Will you come back and tell me what the savage says?" Dolly asked anxiously and Piper paused before she climbed out, nodding to her small friend.

"I promise, Dolls." Piper slung a gentle half-smile Dolly's way. "And I _always_ keep my promises."

"I know…." Dolly whispered once her friend was gone. "That's what I'm afraid of…"

* * *

BookRain - I can't tell you how Fiercemoon knows the Indian, that explanation will have to wait! Once again, thank for the PM, I needed it! ;)

zuleika126 - Aww, thank you so much!


	16. Chapter Sixteen: Uh oh!

I own nothing except my characters.

 _ **Chapter Sixteen: Uh oh!**_

* * *

 ** _~Unbowed-and-Unbroken~_**

"The prisoner's escaped!" Tony shouted, racing into the camp. He had blood oozing down the side of his face from where he got hit over the head. "Quick! Someone get Pan and Felix, our prisoner's escaped!" His voice rose even higher, nearly cracking from how much volume he was putting behind his frantic words.

As soon as the words registered on her brain, Piper was on her feet and across the clearing in seconds. Grasping the collar of his shirt, Piper yanked the tall guy down to her height, a furious snarl on her mouth.

"Which prisoner?" Piper growled and Tony flinched, his arms wind milling as he tried to keep his balance. It wasn't helped though when Piper yanked him closer. "Tell me!" She roared, shaking him viciously as he choked on his shirt.

"The- the savage!" Tony choked out and she abruptly released his collar, shoving him backwards. Tony yelped and stumbled, tripping and falling backwards from the force of her push.

"Did you release the prisoner?" Pan asked from behind her and Piper turned, narrowing her dark eyes sharply at him, tense.

"If I had, do you really think I would tell _you_?" Piper snapped angrily and Pan narrowed his eyes darkly at her, yanking on _her_ collar and dragging her closer.

"Answer me!" He snarled and she met his gaze fearlessly, stubbornly keeping her mouth shut. Of _course_ , she hadn't let the prisoner out but being manhandled by this prick was infuriating so she wasn't exactly about to just let him have his way. "Now is not the time to tease, Piper. Answer me or I may be forced-" He sneered darkly. "-To harm your _precious_ little Dolly." He spat and rage roared up from deep within Piper, burning fiercely in her dark eyes.

"Screw you!" Piper snarled back at him, reaching up and digging her nails into the hollows of his veins in his wrist, clenching her jaw and glaring him in the eyes. "I didn't take the fucking prisoner, if I had, do you really think I would have stuck around or even taken that one to begin with?!" Piper growled, puffing up her chest and narrowing her eyes, digging her nails deeper into the skin of his wrists.

Seeing the truth of her words in her furious eyes, Pan shoved her away, striding over to where Tony was. The large male flinched, cowering before the shorter but far more dangerous male.

"When did the prisoner escape?" Pan snapped and Tony glanced around nervously, licking his lips and fidgeting.

"H-he, uh-" His voice cracked and Piper scoffed from where she had caught her balance, straightening her shirt and turning away.

"No!" Pan's voice cracked across the clearing like a whiplash and Piper stiffened but continued walking towards the camp exit, despite knowing full well that Pan was talking to her. "Take another step and Dolly won't be vacationing from her cozy cell in her cage. She'll be put someplace you won't ever be able to visit her again." Pan hissed and Piper did freeze that time, terrible dread sweeping through her.

H-how did he know that she had been visiting Dolly? Had he been spying on her? On them? If he had, how much did he know? Did he know of the secret place Piper had made in the trees for her friend to go to when they escaped together?

…did he know about her plans to help Dolly get off the island?

"What are you _talking_ about, Pan?" Piper asked coolly, turning around and fixing her dark eyes on him. Pan scoffed at her, shaking his head, hooded emerald eyes fixated on her as silence fell in the camp. Felix flicked his gaze back and forth between the two of them, Angelo and Salazar hovering anxiously behind him as they watched the confrontation between the two of them.

"You _know_ what I am talking about Piper and I won't hesitate to follow through with my threat. How about we make a deal? The life of your friend…for the life of the savage that thought he could escape _my_ captivity?" Pan hissed, cruel delight flaring in his darkened emerald eyes.

There was _nothing_ sweet or gentle about him, he is hard and cold and takes vicious enjoyment from the suffering of others….why is she still attracted to him? There is just something about his darkness that is a siren's call to her own darkness…the darkness she has fought so hard to beat but with him, she has to let it loose because if she doesn't…she _can't_ win this game…and then Dolly won't ever make it back home with _or_ without her.

The looming question hangs in the air between them: will she take the deal or not?

Piper knows in her heart of hearts that there is no doubt, no question, no hesitation in doing what she must for the sake of her friend…

"Fine but if anyone gets in my way-" Piper snapped and Pan grinned coldly, knowing he had gotten the upper hand in their silent war.

"They won't because if they do-" He paused and swept his gaze over his gathered Lost Boys. "If they do, then they will answer to _me_." Following some silent signal, they all stood to attention, snapping into a salute with their hands, clubs, arrows, and even bowls. These boys…suddenly, they aren't boys. They are the savages they profess the Indians to be.

The darkness in their eyes…in all of their eyes, Angelo and Salazar and Felix included, it shakes a part of Piper but that is the part that she will not accept of herself. That humanity…she can't afford to have it now so she shoves it away and allows her own expression to harden. Nodding once at Pan, Piper jerked her head at the group of boys, turning and striding out of camp, refusing to look back even when Pan started laughing behind her.

 ** _~Unbowed-and-Unbroken~_**

How dare he?

The flashing memory of Pan's superior smirk make Piper grit her teeth, shoving past a branch hanging low as she scanned the forest floor, waving one of the boys forward. He eyed her cautiously with soft green eyes, his hair a tangled mess on his head.

"Do you see any tracks?" Piper snapped and he flinched, looking quickly to the ground, not wanting to incite any rage from her.

"There are tracks but they aren't from the savage. C-can I take the lead?" He stammered, avoiding looking her in the eyes. Piper stared at him for a moment before she nodded curtly and swept her hand out mockingly in front of her. Red suffused his cheeks as he blushed and hurried forward, scanning the ground with businesslike intensity.

Piper, for the life of her, couldn't figure out how he was going to find which way the savage had gone based on a handful of leaves, some imprints in the dirt and misplaced branches but held her tongue, following silently behind the boy and pulling out her daggers.

The heavy weight of the hilts in her scarred palms was familiar and comforting but for once, Piper wished she had something that could reach further. She didn't want any unnecessary risks in this fight and having to get close enough to the savage to take him down counted as an unnecessary risk- until she got Dolly off the island. Once she achieved that, all bets were off and then Pan would find out what it was like to hold lightning in a collar- when it no longer wanted to be caged.

"I found something!" Excitement and trepidation tinged the boy's words and Piper narrowed her eyes at the boy, moving forward silently. He turned to say something else, his mouth open but saw her standing right behind him, a high-pitched, strangled yelp bursting out of him as he jumped and stumbled backwards, reflexively bringing his hands up.

"What is it?" Piper asked lowly, reflexively dropping her voice to a lower timber as an intimidation tactic. From the way he paled and whimpered, it was working but not quickly enough for Piper. Muttering a snarl under her breath, she forced herself to calm down and her features to soften into something soothing and light, filled with warmth and tender care.

Reacting instinctively to the gentle, motherly air about her, the boy relaxed and smiled hesitantly, calming down nearly instantaneously.

"S-sorry." He mumbled and looked up at her from his lowered lashes. "I found the savage's footprints and they were with…feral cat paw prints." He whispered, fear and distant awe in his eyes at the thought that any man could freely walk with the man-eating feral cats.

Piper had to work hard to not scoff and roll her eyes, if only to keep him talking.

"What else?" She asked, her voice soft and sweetly husky. The boy blinked at her hand, which was outstretched to him in a silent offer of help. He slowly reached up and placed his hand in hers, boosting himself up and then hurriedly letting go of her hand to brush his clothes off.

"I, um, they went towards the mountain." The boy said and Piper nodded contemplatively, her dark eyes going distant as she thought things over. Why would Fiercemoon be helping this savage? Why wouldn't Fiercemoon bring Piper to the savage so she could talk to him?

Questions and more questions began to pile up inside her head and Piper shook herself impatiently, her eyes clearing as she looked at the boy.

"Lead the way, we will go for a few miles and if we haven't caught him yet, we will return to camp and consult with Pan." Piper felt her mouth twist when she spit his name out and the boy jumped, startled at the venom in her voice at the name of his leader. Glancing curiously and apprehensively over his shoulder, he started walking, focusing his green eyes on the ground as he tracked the savage that already has a head start on them.

"What's going to happen when we catch the savage?" Salazar asked, his confidence showing in the way he said 'when we catch the savage' instead of 'if we catch the savage.' Piper looked down into his dark green eyes and scanned her eyes over his boyish face and mop of bronze curls.

"Then I do as I said I would and take his life so that Dolly may have hers."

 ** _~Unbowed-and-Unbroken~_**

"Still no sign of him?" Piper asked impatiently and Owen, the tracking boy, shook his head apologetically.

"I can see his tracks clearly but from the rapid pace, I can tell he is nearly a day ahead of us." Owen said, scanning the ground again. "If we follow him, we won't catch him until early morning and by then, the savage will have one over on us because we will be weak and tired." Owen fell silent, training his eyes intently on her face.

"What do we do?" Angelo was the only one who dared voice the question they were all thinking. Narrowing her dark eyes, Piper twirled her daggers in her fingers, each of them briefly skidding over her palm before twirling into the air again.

"We go back." Piper said abruptly and turned to Owen. "I am going to request that first light in the morrow, you and myself head out to catch the savage. I won't have anyone else going with us, they are only going to slow them down and I need to catch that savage as soon as possible." Piper said coldly, ignoring Salazar's and Angelo's protests.

"Why me?" Owen asked, paling a little as his voice shot high. "I-"

"You have already started tracking him. I am not going to have a different tracker start over in the morning, that is only going to slow me down." Piper said sharply, shooting a stern look to Angelo and Salazar, forcing them to be silent.

"Is Dolly really worth this to you?!" Angelo burst out and the blood drained out of his face when Piper went deadly still before whirling to him, slamming him up against a tree, her hand a bar of curved iron around his throat as her dark eyes burned fiercely into his own.

"You know the answer to that question, Angelo, so don't you dare ask it again." Piper hissed and held him there for a brief moment before releasing him and turning, sweeping her gaze darkly over the rest of the group. "Does anyone else have any comments or questions to make?" Piper snapped and they stared at her with wide eyes, each of them silent and scared. "Lead the way back to camp, Owen. Now." Piper ordered and the boy hurried to do as she said, the others quickly traipsing being their friend.

Piper started walking after them when Angelo spoke up, his voice hurt.

"Am _I_ really not worth anything to you?" Piper stopped, not really certain on that question. He had caught her off guard and no quick lies sprung to her tongue, no scathing comments slipped out of her mouth, she was just…silent.

How does she tell him that in a competition between him and Dolly…there is no competition?

Slowly turning to the boy, Piper settled her dark gaze on him, her eyes quiet and numb. There's no competition between him and Dolly but she does care about him, she just can't afford to show it all that often. Or ever, really. If she does, that's just one more weakness for Pan to exploit, she knows it's true because if she was in Pan's position, that's what _she_ would do.

"Angelo…don't ask questions to answers you already know." Piper said lowly and turned, heading off after the group of boys, leaving Angelo to clench his jaw, tears of hurt in his eyes before he hastily blinked them away and walked after her, his head hung low and his hands in his pockets.

He fell in line at the back of the group and Piper glanced back once, slight concern flashing over her face before she faced forward again, moving up beside Owen.

"Tomorrow, I want you packed and ready to go when I wake you up. We will be eating before we go but make sure to bring extra food for yourself. Don't worry about me, I will bring my own food. Bring only what you need. Understood?" Piper reeled off and Owen nodded quietly, shying away when she lifted a hand to flick a curl away from her face.

They used to be cropped closely against her head but now the curls have started growing out a bit, turning into a wild mop of curls on her head, not unlike Salazar's. The curls are corkscrews, wound tightly enough that if she were to pull on one, it would just spring back into the same curled shape.

When her hair was longer, it wasn't so bad because the weight of her curls would pull them straight on top of her head but since there is virtually no weight on the curls, they are springing in fairly odd different directions that she has little to no control over. It's a physical representation of her life and the lack of control she has over it.

Smiling coldly at nothing in particular, Piper pulled one of her daggers out and began aimlessly twirling it in her palm, the silver flashing under the setting and rising sun. She was lost in thought, mindlessly following Owen back to the camp, stepping over branches and avoiding the spots with the most leaves, ghosting silently over the ground while the boys behind her bumbled and crashed through the path behind her.

It's no wonder the savages find them so easily if these boys make noises like this all the time.

They finally reached the camp and Owen fell back, letting Piper take the lead. She could see Owen's reluctance to be the one to tell Pan that they had failed to reach the savage and kill it.

"Why is it-" Pan began asking loudly and sarcastically, holding a dagger in his hand as he slowly looked up at her. "-that I don't see a body with you?" Pan snapped and Piper stiffened, meeting his gaze boldly.

"We tracked him as far as we could until I determined it was far enough. We didn't have the proper provisions and strength to continue on a hunt for as long as it would have taken to capture the prisoner. I told the boys it was time to head on back, if you have a problem with that, speak now or forever hold your peace." Piper mocked, lifting her chin with defiance and arrogance, to the everlasting shock of the boys gathered around.

 _No one_ talked to Pan liked that and got away with it unscathed. No one…except, apparently, Piper could.

"You had best be heading out at first light." Pan threatened, pointing a dagger at her chest as he slowly stalked forward. "If you don't catch that savage, you and I and Dolly are going to be having a long, drawn out, painful reunion. Do I make myself clear?" Pan asked darkly and Piper lifted her chin even more, squaring her shoulders and smiling coldly right in his face.

"Yes, _mother_." She sneered, practically daring him to do something to her. If he tried to hurt her, Piper has no qualms about striking back. She _will_ fight for Dolly's life if that is what is needed, that has never been held in question in her mind or anyone else's that has seen the two girls together. Though they are not of the same blood, they have chosen each other as sisters and that is the truest bond to them.

"Insolent brat." Pan snarled, snatching her throat up and digging the tip of the dagger into her jugular in the next second. Piper didn't tense up, she just kept on smiling coldly, a tapping feeling drawing his eyes downward…to where her dagger was right at his crotch. His eyes narrowed and Pan shot his gaze up to hers, a threatening glint to his dark emerald eyes.

"Were I you, I would be thinking carefully about my next step, wouldn't you agree?" Piper asked sweetly, mockingly and anger flared up in his eyes as he slowly released her. Piper wasted no time in stepping back, keeping her dagger low and out of sight but very much so still there.

"Defy me again and I won't threaten Dolly's life, I'll just take it." Pan hissed and in a cyclone of dark green smoke, disappeared from her sight.

"Pussy cat, pussy cat, where are you?" Piper asked liltingly, a triumphant gleam in her dark eyes. "Run away little kitty, run away free, hide from the big bad mousie." Piper hummed, turning swiftly and making her way to her tent to get a good night's sleep.

It was about damn time that Pan realized she wasn't just a plaything and that she wouldn't just roll over and let him play with her.

Oh no, he's going to have to _earn_ that right.

* * *

Amina212 - Aww, thank you so much! That tension between Piper and Pan really is fun to play around with. I really agree with what you said about their struggle and Pan not knowing what to do with someone he can't dominate because it's so true! Thank you so much for your review!

HopeAndHeartache - Thank you so much!

BookRain - Hey, sorry about not getting this chapter out yesterday, work was driving me crazy, I barely had time to do anything, much less post a chapter. Hope this makes up for it!


	17. The dreaded AN

I can't believe I am doing this. I promised myself I would never be one of those authors that said that MY cannon life would get too busy and complicated for me to churn out regular chapters for my ever faithful readers. I was supposed to stay a nerd with no social life outside of Fanfiction to speak of. Alas, I am letting all of my readers know that for an unspecified (but not forever) amount of time I will be having ALL of my stories ON HOLD. Meaning…my soul is going to wither up and die because I won't be writing for my stories.

Scratch that.

I'll be writing for my stories but it will be so sporadic that I have no clue if or when I'll be able to post a chapter. I've been feeling so bad and dead exhausted lately that I have barely had time to sleep much less write for over twelve different stories. Not to mention the several original stories I have been writing and have yet to finish. I'm a bit of a chronic writer and apparently, I have no clue when too much is too much until it's too late and I'm nearly burnt out.

It is with a heavy heart that I post this as an A/N instead of a chapter.

(Yet another thing I promised myself I would never do and am doing. Bleh, it's a wonder you guys stick around to read my writing!)

So long for now.

Signing out,

TwilightWorshipper14 or Emma


End file.
